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AN
EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST CHAPTER
SECOND EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETEE,
FOUR ADDITIONAL DISCOUESES.
BY JOHN BEOWN, D.D.,
SENIOR MINISTER OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION, BROUGHTON
PLACE, EDINBURGH, AND PROFESSOR OF EXEGETICAL THEOLOGY
TO THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHIIRCH.
iu v'Trof^viiau, — o-xoi/Sao-ia §£ x.»l sx.ix.<jroTt sx-'" ^f^oi'i f^troi rviu if/.'riii eiooot/
T'/}» rovTU'j f^vyif^rtv 'Troiilfdcti. — IIET. Ett. B. K. a. K. ly n.
EDINBURGH : WILLIAM OLIPHANT AND SONS.
LONDON : HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND COMPANY.
GLASGOW: DAVID ROBERTSON.
MDCCCLVI.
^
Ml'RHAY AND (JITSR, PRINTERS, F.DmBUROII.
TO THE
REV. JOHN TAYLOR, M.D.,
PROFESSOK OF DIVINITY IN THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CANADA,
WITH HIGH RESPECT FOR HIM AS A SCHOLAR AND A DIVINE,
AND WITH
CORDIAL ESTEEM AND AFFECTION FOR HIM AS A FRIEND.
PREFACE.
Since the publication of '* Expository Discourses on
the First Epistle of the Apostle Peter/' the desirable-
ness of following up that work by a similar illustration
of the Second Epistle, has often been brought before
my mind, by individuals whose opinions and wishes
must always have much weight with me. Concurring
entirely in their conviction, that few portions of the
sacred volume, from peculiarities of style, and occa-
sional obscurities, as well as from the almost singular
paucity of expositions whether critical or practical,
stand more in need of satisfactory elucidation, I should
have at one time readily complied with their suggestion,
to attempt such a work.
But though convinced of the right of the Epistle
to a place in the inspired volume, and in some mea-
sure familiar with its contents, I could not help per-
ceiving, that to produce such an interpretation as would
satisfy myself, or ought to satisfy the public, woidd
VI riiElACE.
require a more careful examination of the whole ques-
tion with regard to its genuineness and canonicity,
and especially of the elaborate attacks and defences
of these, which have recently appeared, than I could
bestow. Besides, on examining the second and third
chapters, I found, that while the general object and
meanino;; of most of the statements in them seemed
plain, there was much, regarding the sense of particular
phrases and the reference of some of the discussions,
so involved in uncertainty, as to forbid me, till better
informed and more fully assured, to come forAvard as
their interpreter.
The same objections do not hold with regard to the
first chapter of the E])istle. Though it also has its
difficulties, arising chiefly, from peculiarities of con-
struction ; yet on dealing with these, they did not
seem insurmountable. I have obtained what appears
to myself a more satisfactory view of the chapter
than I have met with in any one commentator, and
I would be ashamed of being backward to afford my
brethren a participation in any advantage which 1
may have thus gained. The niggard of knowledge is
the worst of all niggards.
1^0 portion of an inspired book can suffer less from
separate interpretation than this cliapter. It is com-
plete within itself, and contains a remarkably con-
densed and impressive view of truth, doctrinal, experi-
mental, and practical, most harmoniously blended.
An additional inducement to this publication is, that.
PREFACE. Vll
from the nature of its contents, it seems peculiarly-
fitted to form the subject of a communication from a
pastor, who has passed more than half a century in
official labour, to those whose spiritual interests he has
ministered to ; and, on the supposition of such com-
munication being made, it may be better to offer it as
a present, than to leave it as a legacy.
The first two of the discourses appended to the vo-
lume are kindred in their subject to that of the Exposi-
tion which they follow. That is a subject which has
been much discussed in our times, and, from its close
connection both with the sanctification and comfort of
Christians, must be a subject of interest and import-
ance in all time. In reference to it mistakes of oppo-
site kinds are rife among us, leading, on the one hand,
to presumptuous confidence, and, on the other, to cause-
less and injurious despondency. Should these Dis-
courses in any measure repress the former and prevent
the latter — should they, on the one hand, startle the
antinomian enthusiast and the legal formalist out of
their delusive dreams, and drive them from their re-
fuges of lies ; and, on the other, enable " him who
is of the truth" to rise above distracting doubts and
fears," assure his heart before God," and maintain
well-grounded" confidence before Him," by "holding
THE BEGINNING OF HIS CONFIDENCE stcdfast tO the end,"
the object of their publication will be gained.
The last two Discourses are of an occasional kind,
and are inserted chiefly to gratify a natural and
Vlll J'KEFACE.
amiable wish on the part of souie more immediately
interested in them.
In consequence of the sheets receiving, as they
passed through the press, the skilful superintendence
and correction of my esteemed friends, the Rev. Peter
Davidson and the Rev. William Veitch, this volume
has fewer faults than it would otherwise have had ;
and for this and similar favours on former occasions,
I have a satisfaction in thus publicly expressing my
jjratitude.
JOHN BROWN.
AuTHUR Lodgp:,
JS'ov. 1856.
CONTENTS.
EXPOSITION OF 2 PETER, CHAP. I.
Page
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, ..... 1
PART FIRST.— THE APOSTLE'S EXHORTATION.
2 Petei'i. 1-11. — "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ
to them that have obtained \\ke precious faith with us, through the
righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ : grace and peace
be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus
our Lord, according as His Divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him
that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence,
add to your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge ; and to know-
ledge, temperance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to patience,
godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness ; and to brotherly-
kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the know-
ledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that lacketh these things is
blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged
from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence
to make your calling and election sure : for if ye do these things, ye
shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ," . . . ... 4
X
C'OXTF.NTS.
Page
Sect. I. Wiio? The Peusons Audbesseu, .... 6
1. Tlicy liave received like precious faith with the apostles, . . 7
•J. They are possessed of " grace and peace," but need to have them
increased, . . . . . . . . 2:i
3. They are " called" by God " to," or rather ' by,' " glory and virtue," 35
4. They are not only the " called," but the "elected" of God, . . 44
Sect. II. "What? The Dutv Enjoineo — "Making their Calling and
Election sure," ........ 51
Sect. III. How? The Manner in which the Doty Enjoined is to be
Done, . ■ . . . . . . . .58
1 . By adding to faith, virtue, . , . . . .65
2. By adding to virtue, knowledge, . . . . .72
3. By adding to knowledge, temperance, . . . . .79
4. By adding to temperance, patience, . . . . .84
5. By adding to patience, godliness, . . . . .93
6. By adding to godliness, brotherly kindness, .... 109
7. By adding to brotherly kindness, charity, .... 114
Sect. IV. Why? Motives for Complying with the Apostle's Ex-
hortation, ........ 123
1. They are furnished with everything necessary to enable them to
do so, . . . . . . . . 124
2. Most lamentable consequences will result from neglecting it, . 140
3. Most important advantages will be secured by complying with it, . 147
PART SECOND.— THE APOSTLE'S RESOLUTIONS, AND THE
GROUNDS OF THEM.
2 Peter i. 12-21. — " Wherefore I will not be negligent to put youalways
in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be esta-
blished in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am
in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance;
knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our
Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover, I will endeavour that
CONTEXTS. xi
Page
ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in re-
membrance. For we have not followed cunningly-devised fables,
when we made known mito you tlie power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty. For He receiv-
ed from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a
voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we
heard, when we were with Him in the Holy Mount. We have also a
more sure word of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day-star arise in your hearts : knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," .... 15G
Sect. T. The Apostle's Resolutions, ..... 159
1 . To keep them in mind of what he had taught them, while he lived, . 159
2. To use means that they should not forget his instructions, when he
was dead, ........ 165
Sect. II. The Grounds of the Apostle's Resolutions, . . 172
1. His conviction that what he and his brethren had taught was true, . 173
(1.) The apostolic testimony, . .... 174
(2.) The evidence on which the apostles' testimony rested — «. They
had seen miracles performed — /3. They had seen predictions
fulfilled, 177
(3.) Practical exhortation based on the second ground of the
apostles' testimony, "to take heed to the prophetic word'* —
«. The exhortation, " take heed" — /3 . Motives — A. The
usefulness of the prophetic word — B. The Divine origin of
the prophetic word, ...... 196
2. His deep impression of the importance of what he had stated to them, 220
3. His conviction that death was at hand, .... 221
Ml COXTEXTS.
ADDITIONAL DISCOURSES.
Page
I.
HOW CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW THAT THEY ARE OF THE
TRUTH, AND MAY ASSURE THEIR HEARTS BEFORE GOD.
1 John iii. 19-22. — "And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and
shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if
our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight," 229
II.
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION, AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT.
2 Tim. i. 12. — "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is
able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day," 2G')
III.
THE OBJECT OF THE CHRISTIAN ECONOMY, AND THE
MEANS OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT.
2 Cor. iv. 6. — " For God, who commanded the light to shine out of dark-
ness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," . . 287
IV.
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST TO HIS PEOPLE, AT
THE COMMENCEMENT, AND. TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF
HIS MINISTRY.
Eph. vi. 1!}.—" Praying with all prayer — for me, that utterance may
be given unto me, that T may open my mouth boldly, to make known
the mystery of the Gospel," .••••. 303
PARTING COUNSELS:
AN
EXPOSITION OF THE FIEST CHAPTEE
OF THE
SECOND EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETEE.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
Were it my object to give an exposition of "the Second
Epistle of the Apostle Peter," I should consider it proper to
inquire, with some minuteness, into the claims of this compo-
sition to genuineness, au.tlienticity, and canonical authority, all
of which have been called in question,^ as well as to ascertain,
so far as it is possible, from what place, to what individuals, at
^ " In answer to all critics who take this Epistle not to be genuine, we
only exclaim, with the most perfect confidence, in place of adducing our
external grounds, Oh, ye psychologists ! O, ye Christian psychologists ! The
supposition that words, doctrines, testimonies, such as are to be found here,
have proceeded from a forger's own invention, — that such strength, such
enlightenment, such confidence of speech, should exist in one and the same
mind, along with a pious fraud — that this f/,vdo7^6y(jg, when, in a Second
Epistle, he designedly counterfeits the person of the apostle, still exhorting,
confessing, and prophesying before his death, has had the impudence
expressly to renounce (rs(rocp/(7,t4ej/o/? f^vdoig^ and, with this impudence, at the
same time, has such gifts of knowledge and of boldly original discourse —
this hypothesis contradicts nil the psychology of Christian feeling ; and this
the true defenders of the genuineness of the Epistle should not be ashamed
openly to confess as the dictate of their Christian ieeling." — Bonnet, La
'parole et lafoi. quoted by Stier, ii. 3G6.
A
^ INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
what time, and for what purpose, it Avas written. As my
object is, however, much more limited, I think it enough to
quote Bloomfield's Introductory Note, which contains a brief
account of wliat is generally held on these points : —
" Of this Second Epistle the authenticity has been called
in question, yet it is quoted or alluded to by some very early
Fathers, and, in the second century, was received into the
canon. Upon the whole, the external or historical evidence
for its authenticity is strong, and the internal yet more so ;
for if not written b}' St Peter, it would indeed be a most
daring fabrication ; and yet, if a fabrication, it would be one
of the most artfully contrived on record ; for there is not a
single particular that betrays imposture, though it has been a
subject of examination for above seventeen centuries. More-
over, it would be very difficult to conceive what motive could
have induced any one to fabricate such a composition, for here
we see no attempt to support any peculiar doctrine or practice,
for which the pious fraud might be supposed to have been
committed. Indeed, such an air of unfeigned and deep piety
breathes through the whole, that it is difficult to imagine how
a person possessed of such a spirit could deliberately indite
an imposture of that kind. As to the argument of some
critics against its authenticity, derived from the dissimilarity
in character of the second chapter with that of the First
Epistle, it is very inconclusive ; for though it be different
from that Epistle, it is also different from the other two
chapters of this Epistle. In fact, there the subjects ai-e dif-
ferent, and (as in the case of St Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews)
different subjects call for different styles. In the case of the
first Epistle, and the first and third chapters of the second,
the whole is simply didactic ; whereas in the second chapter
of the present Epistle, more of energy woidd be requisite, and
consequently a higher degree of inspiration would be voucli-
safed, even like that granted to the prophets of the Old Testa-
ment. Besides, even waiving such a principle, and supposing
St Peter's style elsewhere to be as plain as those critics please,
vet thev Avill linrdlv denv that the stvle of a writer is much
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 3
influenced by the feelings with which he is affected. Tims,
in the present instance, we may suppose that the apostle's
strong indignation at the heresies of the Gnostics quickened
his feelings, and consequently somewhat altered the usual
character of his style.
" The above may suffice to show that the internal arguments
against the authenticity of this Epistle are unfounded. Pro-
ceed we to advert to the internal evidence /or the authenticity.
1. There is the same character (namely, of gravity, dignity,
energy, and autliority, united with simfplicity) observable in
this second Epistle as distinguishes the first. 2. There are
several incidental allusions to circumstances which correspond
to no other apostle but St Peter. 3. A truly apostolical spirit
breathes through the whole. 4. The style is (with the exception
of the second chapter) the same as in the former Epistle. There
are repetitions of the same words, and allusions to the same
events.
" This Epistle is supposed to have been written not long after
the First Epistle, and shortly before the death of the apostle."
If the reader is desirous of obtaining fuller information on
the subject, I w^ould recommend him to read Dr Davidson's
discussions in his " Introduction to the New Testament," ^
where the whole subject is carefLilly and candidly handled.
I know few things that are more to be reckoned desiderata
than a really good exegetical commentary on this book. There
are but few separate comments on it, none of a high order.
The largest commentary we have — that of Adams, an Anti-
puritan minister of the English Church of the beginning of the
seventeenth century, lately re-edited by Sherman — is the very
reverse of judicious, and, as a piece of Scriptural exposition,
can scarcely be underrated. The best works of the kind I am
acquainted with are Benson's Notes, in his Exposition of the
Catholic Epistles, Nisbet's Short Commentary, and Potts' An-
notations in the Koppian edition of the New Testament — none
of which can be considered as anything like what, in the pre-
1 Vol. iii., pp. 396-450.
4 THE apostle'8 exiioktatiox. [part I.
sent state of Scriptural exegesis, might be reasonably expected
in an exposition of this Epistle,
The First Chapter of the Epistle, to the illustration of which
I mean to confine myself, divides itself into two paragTaphs —
the one incluchng the first eleven verses, the other the remainder
of the chapter. Let us, then, take up, in succession, the topics
contained in these paragraphs. The first paragraph is sub-
stantially an exhortation to Christian duty. The second con-
tains certain resolutions of the apostle, and the grounds on
which they were founded.
PART T. THE APOSTLE's EXHORTATION.
2 Peter i. 1-11. — Simon Peter, a servant and an upostle of Jesus
Christ, to them tliat have obtained like precious faith with us, through
the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ : gi-ace and peace
be multiplied unto j'ou through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath
called us to glory and virtue: whereby arc given unto us exceeding great
and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, haviug escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue: and to
virtue, knowledge ; and to knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance,
patience ; and to patience, godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly-kind-
ness; and to brotherly -kindness, charity. For if these things be in you,
and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these
things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was
purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, lirethren, give diligence
to make your calling and election sure : for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fall : for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
II
This exuberant passage of " Scripture given by inspiration
of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc-
tion, for instruction in righteousness," is an exhortation to
duty, connected with a description of the class of persons to
whom that exhortation is adch-essed, and a statement of the
motives bv which it is enforced. The best order for takinfr
PART I.] THE apostle's EXHORTATION. 5
up these topics, so as to derive from their discussion tlic
advantacfe they are fitted to communicate, seems to be, to
attend successively to the following questions: Who are hero
addressed ? What are they called to do ? How are they re-
quired to do it ? And whi/ are they required to do it ? To
the first of these questions. Who? the answer furnished by the
passage itself is, They are persons who have " obtained like
precious faith " with the apostles ; persons who are in posses-
sion of " grace and peace," but need to have these " increased
and multiplied ;" persons who have been " called" by God ;
persons who have been " elected " or chosen of God. To
the second question. What? the answer furnished by the
passage is, They are to " make their calling and election sure;"
they are to make it evident to themselves and others that they
have been called and chosen. To the third question, How ?
the answer furnished by the passage is, By " adding to their
faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge ; and to knowledge,
temperance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to patience,
godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness ; and to bro-
therly-kindness, charity." To the fourth question, Why ? the
answer furnished by the passage is. Abundant provision has
been made for enabling them to perform the commanded duty
in the commanded way ; God has " given to them all things
that pertain to life and godliness ;" He has " given them ex-
ceeding great and precious promises; by which they may
become partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corrup-
tion that is in the world :" very bad consequences will residt
from their neglecting this duty; they will be "barren," idle,
and " unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
they will become "blind, incapable of seeing afar off," and
forget that they have been "piu'gedfrom their old sins;" they
will be apt to fall, and though saved, will be saved with dif-
ficulty : and finally, very blessed consequences will result from
the performance of this duty ; they will be active and ft-uitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will be clear-
sighted and see afar off, they will " never fall," and an " en-
trance shall be ministered to them abundantly into the ever-
6 THE apostle's exhoktation. [part I.
lasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Such
are the answers to the four questions : Who ? — What ? — How ?
§ I. WHO ? THE PERSONS ADDRESSED.
This Epistle is plainly addressed to the same persons as
the first : — the Christians, many of them of Jewish origin,
"scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia,
and Bithynia." This is obvious fi'om the beginning of the
3d chapter, " This second Epistle, beloved, I now write to
you." In both Epistles the apostle describes them, by cha-
racters not rising out of their peculiar circumstances — but out
of their common state, character and situation as Christians.
The descriptions in both cases suit Christians, if they deserve
the name, in all countries, and in all ages.
In the inscription of the first Epistle they are described as
" strangers ;"^ as " pilgrims and sojourners;"^ as " elect,"^ or
selected, "according to the foreknowledge,"^ or appointment,
"of God the Father,® through sanctification of the Spirit"^
or by a spiritual separation, " unto obedience," ^ that they
might obey the truth, " and unto sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ,"^ that they might be interested in the sa\ang
effects of the expiatory death of the incarnate Son of God f
as possessors of " grace and peace ;" "^ as " begotten again to a
living hope, — to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,
and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven," ^^ — even " sal-
vation," ^^ complete and eternal deliverance fi'om all evil, and
the enjoyment of all good ; and as " kept," ^^ preserved so as
^ 'TTupsTi-fdYifcoi, (Cliap. i. 1.) ^ TvccpoiKot Kctl Trxpi-TrtOYifiCit, (Chap. ii. 11.)
ex.'hiKTOi. ■* Koircic. Trpoyvufjiv.
&10U Ti'strpog. ^ sv ccytcca^M 7rvivi/,ot,Tog.
' lie v'Tstx.o'/iv. ^ Kut pauriafiov ccifiurog.
" Chap. i. 1, 2. '^^ x**^'? ««*' ilp^vyi, (Chap. i. 2.)
'^ dvof/i'/iuuififikuoi iig s'K'Triioe, ^uactv — i'lg K'Ayjpovopiiccv (x.(p6ocprou ku.\ ccy^i-
avTt'j tcci a.p(,eipoiVTCiv TiTYipyipiiVYiu iu ovpctvoic, (Chap. 1. 3, 4.)
'* frUTYipiccu, (Chap. i. .5.) '■'' <fpovpwi^ivoi.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 7
assuredly to obtain this salvation, '•" by the power of God
through faith." '
In the introductory paragraph of this Epistle, they are
described as having "obtained like precious faith" with the
apostles,^ " through" or rather in, " the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ/"' or rather, 'our God and
Saviour Jesus Christ;' as enjoying "grace and peace,"*
which may be "multiplied,"^ "through," or 'in,' "the know-
ledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord;'"' as "called fo," or
rather bi/, " glory and virtue ;" '' and as having an " election," *
as well as " a calling," ^ having been chosen or selected as well
as called. The description in the first Epistle is fully illus-
trated in an exposition published some years ago. I shall
now attempt a similar illustration of the description now
before us.
1. — IVieij have received like precious faith with the apostles.
The first statement with regard to Chi'istians here is, that
they have "received like precious faith" with the apostles,
" through," or 'm,' " the righteousness of God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ," or rather, ' our God and Savioui' Jesus Christ.'
Faith, in the strict sense of the word, means the belief of a
statement — counting it true on the testimony of another. It
is one of the distinguishing characters of Christians, that
they are believers— not believers in the abstract, for there
is no description more universally applicable to men — than that
they are capable of — disposed to — belief or credence ; but that
they are believers of certain statements, which other men do
not believe. They count things true, which other men either
count false, or respecting which they form no judgment about
their truth or falsehood ; and they believe these things on the
^ iu ^vvei/xii dsov, oicc TTtanug, (Chap. 1. 5.)
^ 'kotYfiVTii iaoripcou Trior lu 7}fili>, (2 Pet. i. 1.)
^ ks> diKoiifjovvi; -oil &. '/ly.nv kocI auriipoc, (V er. 1.)
* yoot'Pii y-oil tipviun. ^ TTM^vudii/i, (Ver. 2.)
* iv iTTiyvmn. ~ Khrtral §/« Oo^'/ii koli dpt-vvi;, (Ver. 3.)
^ fjcAoyjjv. ^ y.-KViUiv, (Ver. 10.)
8 THE apostle's EXHORTATION, [I'ART I.
testimony of another, wliich testimony the great body of man-
kind disregard or discredit. Noav, the questions of importance
here are, What is it that Christians believe ? and On whose
testimony is it that tliey rely in their belief?
(1.) As to the first point, they believe " the word of the truth
of the gospel " — " the gospel " — the good news " of salvation "
— " the gospel of the grace of God." They believe — they are
siu'e that " Jesus is the Son of God," and " the Saviour of
the world " — that " God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life " — that " He died for our
sins according to the Scriptm'es, and rose again on the third
day according to the Scriptures " — that He w as " delivered
for our offences, and raised again for our justification "-^— that
" God is in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing to men their trespasses, seeing He hath made Him
Avho knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him."
The object of the faith of the Christian is here spoken of,
as " the righteousness of God and our Lord Jesus Christ,"
or ' of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.' By many — per-
haj^s most — interpreters, Avith whom our translators seem —
from their renderino- — to have concurred, " the righteousness "
here, whatever it may mean, is considered as something through
the medium of which Christians receive their faith. But the
precise meaning of the phrase is "in the righteousness,"'
and it most naturally denotes the subject of the proposition
believed. As faith in a futm'e state — is belief of the truth
respecting a future state; so "faith in the righteousness of
God " — is a belief of the truth respecting the righteousness of
God.2
^ sv and lia, are not synonyms, and Dr John Lillie very justly remarks,
that "no reason can be given why the connection between 'faith' and
' righteousness,' in this verse, may not be the same as between 'faith' and
'blood,' Uora. iii. 25, and 'faith' and 'Christ Jesus,' Gal. iii. 26, etc.
For S/jc. T. 0. as the object of faith, see Rom. i."17, iii. 21, x. 3," etc.
^ This is the view Bloomfield tfikes. His note is " Render to those
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 9
The expression rendered " God and otu- Saviour Jesus
Ciirist," according to the strict usage of the hmguagc, shoixhl
be translated ' our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.' ' Wei'e the
doctrine of the divinity of our Lord not taught in other places
of the Scriptures, or were the doctrine of His mere humanity
taught in tliem, then the expression migJd, without impropriety,
be rendered as our translators lia^e done it ; but as the doc-
trine of our Lord's divinity — that He is God — is taught in the
plainest terms in many passages of Scripture, and as the doctrine
of our Lord's mere humanity — that He is nothing more than a
man — is no where taught in Scripture, it seems but right that
the strictly grammatical rendering should here be adhered
to.2
But what are we to understand by this " righteousness of
our God and Saviour" — our Divine Saviour — concerning
which Christians have a faith or belief, which is peculiar to
them? and what is it that they believe resj)ecting this
righteousness? The Apostle John calls Jesus Christ "the
Righteous One,"^ " the just in the room of the unjust,"'' and
His righteousness — may signify His absolute moral perfection ;
or it mav sio-nify, what in orthodox modern systematic theology
it does signify, His perfectly answering as a surety, all the
demands which the law of God had on sinful men, which is the
ground of their being justified before God — ordinarily termed
His vicarious righteousness, which is imputed to the sinner, on
tolio have obtained like preoiotis faith withits as to the righteousness of our
God and Saviour Jems Christ — meaning the method of justification by
fiiith in Jesus Christ as opposed to the law."
^ The principles on which this assertion is made are to be found illus-
trated in Granville Sharp's and Wordsworth's publications on the Greek
article, and more fully in Bisliop Middleton's work, especially Professor
Scholefield's edition, Dr Pye Smith's Scripture Testimonv, vol. iii., p.
188, may also be consulted. Semler says, " Bcza et alii sic intelligunt,
ut contineat hie locus manifestum divinitatis Christi testimonium ; quod
nemo jure potest reprehendere."
^ At the same time, it is but right to remark, that the position of '/ly^Zu
i'l reference to aojriipo; leaves a slight shade of doubt on this exegesis.
3 1 liicsciog, John ii. 1. * oUxiog vvsp dlUyp, I Pet. iii. 18.
10 THE aih)stle's exhortation. [part I.
his believing — reckoned as if done by liim — set down to his
account, so that lie is treated as if he had done it — and which
constitutes the entire and sole ground of his acceptance before
God, being the procuring cause of his salvation. The phrase
maij mean either of these, but the best way of ascertaining the
meaning of a phrase in the New Testament, is not to rest in
knowing what it may mean, but to endeavour to find out what
it (Joes mean, as used by the inspired writer in other places,
or by other inspired writers.
In the only other passage in the Apostle Peter's writings
where the phrase "the righteousness"' occurs in the same
way as in the passage before us," he is describing the
designed effect of Christ's death, "that we, being dead to
sins, might live unto righteousness,"^ or in or under "the
righteousness." When commenting on that passage in the
work already referred to, I endeavoured to shew that the
apostle's meaning is ' that we being delivered from those
"sins"^ those liabilities to punishment which Jesus Christ
" bare in His own body to the tree," ^ and there expiated, we
might live in a justified state '^ — under the transforming
influences of such a state.
The phrase here seems to have the same meaning. The
" rio'hteousness " — in which Christians live — " of our God and
Saviom'," and "the righteousness" which is here represented
as the object of faith, is the same as " the righteousness " of
which the Apostle Paul speaks so much — which he calls " the
riohteousness of God,"^ "the righteousness of faith," ^ "the
rio'hteousness by faith,"" and which he contrasts with "the
righteousness of the law," or ' by law,' '" and " our own I'ight-
eousness." '^ I believe that the word designates "justification,"
sometimes viewed as a blessing conferred by God, sometimes
1 jj oiK. - 1 Peter ii. 24.
■"^ T« Otx-ctioavv'/}. "* Mf^ctprieig.
^ livvjUiyKiu Iv ru aofAetTi uvtou iTri to ^v7\ou.
"" iV TY) ^tX-XlOIUV/j. ^ S/JC. &i(lV, Rom. 1. 17.
® liK. iK. x., Rom. i. 17, X. G. " "(not T^ianoi;, Rom. iii. 22.
'" "hiK.. uofiou or iK from — §;« — or oi 'ipyuv uo^ov. ^' tviu Ihiuv niy..
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 11
viewed as a privilege enjoyed by iiuiu— both ideas being
included in tlie phrase "■ the divine method of justification by
Christ throiigh faith." This, then, is the great subject about
which the Christian's faith is conversant.
Now, what he believes about this divine method of justi-
fication, we are not left here to conjecture ; his faith is
" like faith " with the apostle's faith. " Ye have obtained,"
says Peter, " like faith with us."^ That is, ye believe the
same thino-s about the righteousness of God that we do.- The
question now is, What did the apostles believe about " the
rio-hteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ ? " 1 will
leave them to answer the question themselves. What is the
doctrine of the apostles respecting justification? What is
the doctrine of the Apostle Paul, who, of all the apostles,
gives the fullest account of this head of Christian belief I
" By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
God's sight : for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now
the rip'hteousness of God without the law is manifested, beiuff
witnessed by the law and the prophets ; even the righteous-
ness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and
upon all them that believe ; for there is no difference : foi' all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," — lost the
approbation of God : " being justified freely by His grace,
throvigh the redemption that is in Christ Jesus : whom God
hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood,
to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God ; To declare, I say, at
this time His righteousness ; that He might be just, and the
justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."^ " We conclude,
then, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the
^ role; laori/^ov ^i^lv 'haxovoi Triuriv is = rolg r'/iv ctvr^i/ (rifii'xv) ■Trtariv avi/
ijf^iv 'Kot-x'jva I, who have obtained the same precious faith which we have
obtained.
2 This the ^itx. Tiartc of which Paul speaks, Eph. iv. 5 ; tlie x.oiu-/i Triarig
of which he speaks, Tit. i, 4-6. Jude's ii ccttx^ vxpuModma. toi; ocyioi;
Triarii, Jude 3.
3 Rom. iii. 20-26.
12 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
law."' Faith shall be reckoned to us for righteousness, " if we
believe on Him who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead ;
Avho was given for our offences, and rniscd again for our justi-
fication."^ " Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace
with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ : by whom Ave
have access by faith into this grace whereiai we stand, and re-
joice in the hope of the glory of God,"^ — of being fully approved
by God. " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to
every one that believeth. For ISIoses describeth the right-
eousness which is of the law. That the man which doetli
tliem shall live by them. But the righteousness of fiiith
speaketh on this wise. Say not in thine heart, T^k^io shall
ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down;) or,
Who shall descend into the deep ? (that is, to bring Christ
again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh
thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart : that is, the word
of faith Avhich we preach ; that if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and
with the mouth confession is made to salvation."* " Of God
are ye in Christ Jesus, (Avho of God is made to you wis-
dom,) justification, sanctification, and redemption,"^ — -justified,
sanctified, and redeemed. " A man is not justified by
the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ."^
^' Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being
made a curse for us," " that the blessing of Abraham," even
justification by faith, "might come upon the Gentiles."''
This is what Paid believed respecting the righteousness of
oiu' God and Saviom- Jesus Christ. Now what is the faith
of Peter ? " Christ also suffered for us ;" " He bare our sins
hi His own body to the tree, that we, being delivered from
these sins," — He havmg, as the Lamb of God, borne them and
1 Rom. iii. 28. - Rom. iv. 24, 25. » Rom. v. 1, 2.
* Rom X. 4-10. •■* 1 Cur. i. 30. '• Gal. ii. 16.
-, Gal. iii. 13, 14.
SECT, I,] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 13
borne them away, — " we might live in the righteousness,"^ — in
a justified state and under its influences. And what is the
faith of John respecting the righteousness of our God and
Saviour Jesus Christ ? " The bh:)od of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanseth us from all sin." " If any man sin, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous : and
He is the propitiation for our sins ; and not only for our sins^
but also for the sins of the whole world." ^
Such was the faith of the apostles respecting the righteous-
ness of our God and Saviour Jesu.s Christ ; and the faith of
all true Christians is " like foith," the same faith. This is
the " everlasting righteousness " which Messiah brouoht in
when He was " cut off but not for Himself," in consequence
of which He is termed, "Jehovah our righteousness;"^ of
v.'hich Isaiah sings so loftily, " ]\Iy righteousness is near ; my
salvation is gone forth:" "lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look upon the earth beneath ; for the heavens shall vanish
away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a ganuent,
and they that dwell in it shall die in like manner : but my
salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be
abolished ;"* and of which the apostle says, " I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to
salvation to every one that believeth, for therein is the right-
eousness of God by faith revealed to, faith," ^ in order to be
believed.
The sum of the common faith of the apostles and all
believers may be comprehended in two great principles ; the
first that guilty man is justified, made righteous, in the divine
estimation, not by his owT^i doings and sufferings, but by the
doinss and sufferings of the incarnate Son of God; the
second, that the sinner is personally interested in the right-
eousness of " Jehovah our righteousness," not by working but
by believing.
This then is what all true Christians, along with the apostles,
1 1 Pet. ii. 24. ^ 1 John i. 7, ii. 1. 2. '^ Jer. xxiii. G.
' Isii. Ii. .5, C. 5 Rom i. 16, 17.
14 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART T.
believe, count true, concerning the "righteousness of our
God and Saviour." They have very different faiths on many
topics. Even on this topic, tliey sometimes differ ahout the
best way of expressing their faith ; but substantially all Chris-
tians have the same faith on this point — the faith of the
apostles. He who has not this fiiith, whatever he may call
himself, is not a Christian ; all true Christians are discii)les of
the apostles ; they follow them, and they followed their Lord.
(2.) Faith, as we remarked, is the belief of a testimony. The
question then comes up, On whose testimony do Christians
believe these things respecting the righteousness of our God
and Sa\dour? Here, too, the word ^^ like'' helps us to an
answer. The faith of Christians is so like that of the apostles,
as to be the same, and so is the testimony on which it rests.
The apostles believed what they taught respecting the right-
eousness of God, because God had revealed it. They credited
the testimony because they knew it was God's testimony. It
Avas " witnessed in the law and prophets," which they knew
were " given by inspiration of God ;" it had been declared to
tliem by their Master, whom they knew to be not only " a
teacher sent from God," but " God manifest in flesh," the
great declarant of the Father; it had been more fully re-
vealed to them by His Spirit, whose inspiration was a matter
of consciousness to themselves, and confirmed both to them-
selves and others by " divers signs, and wonders, and mira-
cles," which they were enabled to perform.
Hear their own account of the testimony on which tliey
believed what they did respecting " the righteousness of our
God and Saviour Jesus Christ." " I," says Paul, " came to
you declaring the testimony of God. We speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, as it is written. Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the
things which God has prepared for them that love Him. But
God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit ; for the Spirit
searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a
man thnt is in him? even so the things of God knowetli no
SECT. 1.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 15
man, bvit the Spirit of God. Now we have received not
the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that are freely given us of God.
Which things also we speak not in words which man's wisdom
teach eth, but which the Holy Ghost teachetli; comparing
spiritual things with spiritual."^ " We," says Peter in the
close of this chapter, " have not followed cunningly devised
fables, but were eye-witnesses of the majesty of our Lord
Jesus Christ ; for He received from God the Father lionour
and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the
excellent glory. This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-
pleased." When they declared their testimony respecting the
righteousness of our God and Saviour, they did it, as John
says, that men by believing it might have fellowship with
them, in the belief of which they knew they had " fellowship
with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."
In like, though not precisely in the same, manner, all
Christians believe that truth on the authority of the divine
testimony. When they believe the gospel, they receive it
" not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of the
living God." Whenever the gospel in its true import is really
believed, " it comes/' to the believer, " not in word only, but
in power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance." They
believe it, not because other men have taught them it ; they
believe it, not because it is intuitively evident to them, — it is
not their Christian consciousness that is the foundation of
their faith ; they believe it, not because they can demonstrate
it to themselves on rational principles ; they believe it simply
because it is contained in a divine revelation, the meaning
and evidence of which have been rendered palpable to their
minds. The truth about the " righteousness of our God and
Saviour," is so very strange, so utterly different fi'om Avhat
himian reason or experience would lead us to suppose, that
nothing could make it credible but divine testimony; and
till that divine testimony is apprehended, it cannot be really
' 1 Cor. ii. ]-ll.
1^> THE apostle's EXIIOIITATION. [PART I.
believed. Till then, men may iu words profess it, but tliey
Mill in deeds deny it.
This foith of the truth respecting the righteousness of our
God and SaA'iour is, on the Divine testimony, " precious faith,"
" like precious faith" with that of the apostles. It is % the
likeness of the preciousness of the faith of Christians to that of
the apostles that the phrase primarily refers, though it implies
also what we have been illustrating, for if our faith is not like
the faith of the apostles in its substance and in its e\-idence,
if we do not beheve the same things as the apostles, and for the
same reason, our faith will not be " like precious" mth theirs,
for its value depends on its substance and evidence. " Pre-
cious"^ means valuable. The truth respecting the righteous-
ness of our God and Saviour believed, or the belief of this
truth, was very jarecious, very valuable, to the apostles. Their
apostolic dignity and gifts were not the direct results of their
foith on this subject, though \dthout this faith they would
have been unfit for their office ; but all the heavenly and
spiritual blessings, all the benefits of the Christian salvation, —
pardon, acceptance, adoption, sanctification, spiritual strength,
comfort, hope, and joy,— all these they enjoyed, not as apostles,
but as believers. The apostolic office and its gifts, were very
precious, very valuable, to the church and to the world, as
well as to their possessors, — they were " a gi'ace given ;" but
it was personal faith that interested the apostles in the blessings
of the Christian salvation, so that they had not so much cause
to "rejoice in that which made even the spirits subject to
them," as in that which marked them as men Avhose " names
were written in heaven." They ^vere saved men ; but, if they
were so, they were saved by faith in the righteousness of their
God and Saviour. Their fiith justified them, their faith
sanctified them, their faith made them active in labour, patient
in suffering. By faith they stood, they fought, they conquered.
Now the faith of Clu'istians of the same truth, on the same
1 For tlie force of the word, see 1 Pet. i. 7-19, and Sept.; Viux. iii.
15; viii. 11.
SECT. 1.] 'J^IIE PERSONS ADDEKSSKl), 17
testimony, in all countries and ages, is " like precious." Who-
soever believetli is "justified," as fully as any of the apostles,
" from all things" from which otherwise he could not have
been justified, and there is, there shall be, there can be, " no
more condemnation" to him than to them. He is "saved
even as they," his heart is " purified by faith," he has peace
and joy in believing. The eleventh chapter of the Epistle to
the Hebrews is an extended illustration of the preciousness or
value of the faith of what God says, because God says it. It
makes weak man very strong. It enables him to do much
which otherwise he could not do ; to endure much which
otherwise he could not endure ; to obtain much which other-
wise he could not obtain. That is the key of that admirable
but somewhat difficult chapter. The faith of the truth respect-
i]ig the righteousness of our God and Saviour is exceedingly
precious. It calms the tempest of the awakened mind; it
heals the wounds of remorse ; it satisfies the demands of con-
science ; it quells the terrors and jealousies of conscious guilt ;
it creates the joy in God which is the strength of the sotiI ; it
mortifies depraved principle ; it is light in darkness, consolation
in sorrow ; for all the purposes of spiritiial food and medicine
abundantly effectual ; " a tree of life ;" "a well of water
springing up to eternal life."^ Faith like precious with that
of the apostles, had we but their measure of it, woiild make
us as holy and as happy as they were.
There is just one other point with respect to this first
characteristic of true Christians, which requires to be attended
to. They did not always possess this faith. It was not an
innate principle in their mind, nor was it the natural develop-
ment of any such principle. It did not grow up spontaneously
in them — it was implanted. Its origin was from without,
from above. They " obtained like precious faith " with the
^ In the quaint language of Adams, " It is a jewel given out of God's
own treasury, brought by the best messenger, the Holy Ghost — laid up in
the best coffer, the sanctified heart, it comes from heaven and brings
heaven with it. It is Christ's wedding ring; to whomsoever He gives it,
He gives Himself."
/^
-'/ B
18 iiiK apostle's exhortation. [part I.
apostles. No natural growth of tlie human heart is any-
thing like so precious as this faith. Indeed nothing precioiis
of a spiritual kind grows there. All, of a spiritual kind, which
unchanged human natiu-e, " that field nigh unto cursing," pro-
duces, is vile and pernicious. Out of the heart spontaneously
come many things, but faith like precious as that of the apostles
is not one of them. " Bv oi'ace are men saved through faith ;
and that not of themselves : it is the gift of God." " It is
given" to men to believe on the name of Christ, and there is
no need to ask by whom it is given. It is given by " the
Father of lights," " the Father of mercies," " fi-om whom
comes down every good and perfect gift." The word rendered
"obtained"^ is full of meaning. It means to cast lots,^ or to
receive as by lot,^ as the Israelites received their inheritances
in Canaan.* The faith of the Gospel, in every view you can
take of it, is the gift of God. (1.) God makes men capable of
belief by the intellectual constitution He has given them.
(2.) God, by His Holy Spirit, gives the revelation which is to
be believed. (3.) God, by His providence, brings this revelation
to the individual, or the individual to the revelation. (4.)
Finally, God, by His Spirit, so fixes the mind of the inch-
vidual on the meaning and evidence of the revelation, that
it is understood and believed. In all these senses, speci-
ally in the last, faith is the gift of God. This gift is not
conferred on all. It is a special favour, a distinguishing-
blessing. None continue unbelieving where the Gospel is
preached but through their o^^m fault. None become believers
to the saving of the soul but through the effectual operation
of the Holy Ghost. It is as true, that " No man cometh to
Christ unless the Father draw him," as it is, that " No man
cometh to the Father but by Christ."
So much for the illustration of the first characteristic of
Christians contained in the passage before us. ' They have
obtained like precious faith with the apostles, in the righteous-
^ ha.xc^^oi. - -'ohn xix. 24.
' Luke i. 9. ■* Joshua xiii. (>.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 1 \)
ness ot" our God and Savioiu' Jesus Christ.' (iod, in the
exercise of sovereign mercy, leads them by His Spirit to be-
lieve the truth with regard to the method of justification
through the incarnate Divine Saviour.
Let us endeavour to turn to practical account what has
been said. And first, let us seriously inquire, whether we
have "obtained like precious faith" with the apostles, " in the
righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ." It much
concerns us all to examine ourselves whether we be in this
faith. To do this to any good purpose, we must know what
is the fixitli of the apostles on this important subject. Many
think they believe along with the apostles, when, in truth,
they believe exactly in opposition to the apostles. I have
endeavoured to make this part of the process easy, by reducing
the faith of the apostles on this subject to its elements. Do
we really believe that man is to be restoi'ed to the Divine
favour, not by his own doings and sufferings, but by the
doings and svifferings of another, even of Him, the Just One,
who, though He knew no sin, was made sin in our room,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him ;
and that we are to obtain an interest in Him as our justifier,
not by worldng, but by believing? Are these truths not
merely the objects of intellectual apprehension, but of belief?
Have we received them on the divine testimony distinctly
perceived ? Do we believe what God has said on these sub-
jects, and believe it because God has said it ? Have we found
this truth believed very precious — very valuable ? Has it
given us hope — -has it given us holiness ? Has it led us to
abandon all going about to establish our own righteousness —
a way of justification of our own — and led us " to submit to the
righteousness of God, the righteousness which is by the faith
of Christ — the righteousness of God by faith V Has the grace
of God, as exhibited in this method of justification, taught us
" to deny ungodhness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this world, while we look for the
blessed hope — the glorious appearing of the great God our
Saviour, who has given Himself for us, that He might redeem
20 riiK apostle's exhortation. [part i.
us from all iniquity, and purify to Himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works?" Are we deeply impressed with the
thought that, if we have this foith, we have ^^ obtained''' it in
the exercise of sovereign mercy on the part of God? Humble
hope, self-denying obedience, superiority to the allurements
and terrors of the present evil world, active persevering exer-
tion to pi'omote the great end of faith — holiness in ourselves
and others — these are among the best proofs, the most satis-
f ictory evidences, of having really obtained like precious faith
with the apostles in the righteousness of our God and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
If, on inquiry, it should turn out that we have not obtained
this precious faith, let us ask ourselves why we have not. It
is owing to our not using aright the means with wdiich God
has furnished us, or not receiving what God has graciously
promised, and is ready to bestow. He has given us the
faculty of believing ; He has given trvith and evidence, argu-
ment and motive, in abu^ndance ; He has promised — and He
always means what He says — the Holy Spirit to those who ask
Him ; and however the evil heart of unbelief may act the
sophister now, and try to cast the burden of responsibility from
itself on God, in tlie day of reckoning no one will dare to say,
" I was hindered from belie%'ing, because God woidd not
sive me faith." Most of those who want faith are mere no-be-
lievers, rather than disbelievers. They never have so seen
the importance of the subject as to put themselves to the
trouble to make up a decided opinion on the subject. But
not a few are disbelievers — mis-believers ; they have a faith,
but a faith not like that of the apostles — a faith not precious,
but utterly valueless, aye, dangerously mischievous. Both
these classes must obtain faith, or they cannot obtain salva-
tion. There is no obtaining salvation but by believing ; and
there is no believing but by apprehending the meaning and
evidence of the truth as it is in Jesus. He who will not
seek, how can he expect to find ? he that will not ask, how
can he expect to receive ? he Avho will not knock, how can he
expect to have it opened to him ? On the other hand, " Ask
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 21
and ye shall receive — seek and ye shall find — knock and it
shall be opened to you." Believe that you may pray, and
pray that you may believe more and more. Oh ! remember
what is the unrepealed aud unrepealable law in reference to
all under the dispensation of the Gospel : " lie that believeth
shall be saved ; he that believeth not shall be damned."
If the inquiry should terminate in a well-grounded convic-
tion, that we have indeed obtained lilie precious faith with
the apostles, let us be grateful to Him whose gift this faith is ;
let it be our constant, fervent, persevering prayer — " Lord,
increase our faith ;" ' give us enlarged views of the truth —
deeper impressions of its evidence and importance.' Let us
" build ourselves up on our most holy faith," and prove that
we really have the faith that purifies the heart by the issues
of a pure life — " the faith that works by love," by abounding
in acts of beneficence, " doing good to all as we have oppor-
tunity"— " the faith that overcometh the world" by not loving
the world, nor the things that are in the world ; by mortify-
ing the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of
life, which are of the world, and by looking not at the things
which are seen and temporal, but at the things which are un-
seen and eternal.
Finally, let those who have received like precious faith with
the apostles exert themselves to the utmost, that their fellow-
men, who are destitute of this faith may become possessed of
it. " Freely they have received — let them freely give." They
have not faith to give — they cannot make others believe —
they cannot believe for them. Faith must be God's gift, in
one view ; and in another, the believer's own mental act ; but
such as we have let us give. We can give the unbeliever the
means of faith ; we can press on his attention truth and its
evidences ; we can give him statement, argument, persuasion.
It is a shame to believers that so many perish without the
means of faith. If the believers in the world were doing thcii-
fluty — fearfully as they are out-numbered by the unbelievers
— it would take no very long course of years to secure, that
not one human being should perish for want of the means of
22 THE apostle's EXllUllTATIOX. [rAUi' I.
faitli. Till this be the case, there is not only a heavy biu'den
of duty, but a heavy burden of guilt, lying on the Church.
And as, though Ave cannot believe for our unbelieving
brethren, we can and ought to fiu'nish them with the means
of faith, so, though the residue of the Spii'it is not in our
hands — though He breathes here or there not according to
our w'ill, but according to His owni wise and benignant good
pleasure, we can, we ought, to use the means of pra\er which
we know God has connected with the putting forth of the
Divine influence, necessary to produce faith. He makes
promises to His church in reference to an unbelieving w^orld,
promising its conversion ; and he says — " For all these things
I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do them for
them." He says to His chiu'ch, as well as to His Son — " Ask
of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Surely
they who have obtained this precious faith should show their
desire that their unbelieving brethren were in possession of
that which they value more than a thousand worlds — should
often go forth to the " valley full of bones, dead and very dry,"
and " prophesy to the bones," and say, " Live ;" and at the
same time pray to — pray for — the Divine breath : " Come, oh
come, from the foiu* winds, breath of the Lord ! Breathe on
those dead bones, that they may live !" Were this universally,
nay, generally practised, in the degree it might and ought to
be, by those who have obtained precious faitli, though they
be comparatively a little flock; what glorious effects might
ere long be expected ! There would be a " shaking among
the dry bones" — " bone coming to its bone," flesh covering
them fi'om above, the skin clothing them, life entering into
these bodies, and instead of a valley full of dead bones, a multi-
tude no man can number of liAdng men filling the valley — " an
exceeding great army" — all ha\ang obtained like precious
faith W'ith the apostles in the righteousness of our God and
Saviour Jesus Christ — all li\ang by Him and to Him.
Hasten it, O Lord, in its time ! " The zeal of the Lord of
Hosts will do it." Let this sentiment ever live in our hearts.
SP:CT. I.] THE TEKSOKS ADDRESSED. 2H
* O the honour and blessedness of being, in the humblest de-
gree, actively subservient to the gaining of a consiimmation
so o-lorious ! '
2. — lliei/ are 2)0ssessed of ''^ grace and peace,^' hut need to
have them increased.
The persons here addressed are represented as being in
possession of "grace and peace," yet needing to have these
increased. Both these truths are plainly enough intimated
in the apostle's prayer for them. " Grace and peace be mul-
tiplied to you, through," or rather 'in,' "the knowledge of
God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord." Here we are taught,
first, that Christians have grace ; secondly, that they have
peace ; thirdly, that they need to have their grace and peace
increased or multiplied ; and, finally, that this increase of
grace and peace is to be obtained " through," or ' in,' " the
knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord." Let us
shortly consider these truths in their order.
First, Christians are in possession of grace. Grace' is
a word signifying favour or kindness, and here plainly sig-
nifies the grace — favour or kindness" — of God. Christians
possess the grace of God in a pecidiar sense — they are the
objects of God's special regard or kindness. He remembers
them with " that favoiu- which He bears to His own people,"
which is connected with being " visited with His salvation,"
" seeing the good of His chosen," " rejoicing in the gladness
of His nation," and "glorying with His inheritance.""
Christians may, in three points of view-, be considered as the
objects of the grace — the special, favourable regard — of God.
(1.) From eternity they were chosen to sahation by Christ —
" Chosen," as the apostle expresses it, " before the foundation
of the world, that they should be holy and without blame
' X»pi;- Luke ii. 40, 52 ; Acts ii. 47.
- Rom. i. 7 ; 1 Cor. i. :t : 2 Cor. i. 2 ; Gal. i. 3, etc.
•" Psalm cvi. 4, 5.
24 THE apostle's EXIIOIITATIOX. [PAKT I.
before Him : predestinated in love," ' in the exercise of
sovereign special kindness, " unto the adoption of children by-
Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure,"
the beniiTiiant choice " of His own will." This is the source
of all the blessings enjoyed by Christians. When they are
called, justified, sanctified, and glorified, it is all " accord-
ing to God's own purpose, and grace given them, in Christ
Jesus, before the world began." The connection between
this primal form of special kindness, and all the subsequent
manifestations of it, is strikingly stated by the apostle, "More-
over, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and
whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He
justified, them He also glorified."^ Of this grace every Chris-
tian is possessed. He w^as the object of it before he was a
Christian — before he was born ao;ain — ave, before he was
bom at all; and he can never be deprived of it. God's eternal
determination to save him can never change. But in this
sense of the term, the grace of God toward the Christian
cannot be midtiplied or increased. It is, from its very nature,
incapable either of addition or diminution ; it is unchanged —
unchangeable. The ground of this grace is nothing out of
God. Everything that is spiritually good in man is the result,
and therefore neither as foreseen, nor as existing, could be the
cause of this grace. It is pure grace — sovereign favour.
(2.) When a man, according to the Divine method of sal-
A'ation, is united to the Saviour, so as to be "justified fi^eely
by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus," he becomes the object of Divine grace in another and
most important sense of that term. Like all his race, the
Christian is born in sin — he is without Christ in the world,
and till he be born again, and by faith become "in Christ,"
he is a "child of wTath even as others." While he is an
unbelie^'er, the wrath of God abides on him — he is the object
of the legal condemnation — of the judicial displeasure of God ;
^ For i'j dytx.'Trvi belongs not, as our translators sujiposed, to the pre-
ceding clause. Eph. i. 4, 5.
- Rom. viii. 30.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 25
and continuing in this state, his salvation would be incon-
sistent with the perfections of the divine natiu'e, and the
principles of the divine government. The grace we have
already spoken of, secures that this state shall not continue,
and on being united to Christ by that fiiith which is the gift
of God, the sentence of condemnation is repealed, the con-
demned criminal becomes a dear son — a joint heir with Christ
Jesus ; there is no condemnation to him — there never can be
condemnation to him — he is " made accepted in the beloved,"
and " grace," henceforth with regard to him, " reigns through
righteousness unto eternal life." As in the first sense, when
we said the Christian was the object of the grace of God, we
meant, God is unaltei'ably determined to save him ; so, when
we use the expression in this second sense, we mean, that that
has taken place which so connects the individu^al with the per-
son and work of Christ, that his salvation is not only consistent
with, but absolutely secured by, the perfections of the divine
nature, and the principles of the divine government. Of
this grace every Christian becomes an object when he believes
the Gospel and is united to Christ, and of this grace he never
can be deprived — " None can separate him from the love
of God" — " in Christ Jesus his Lord." " TVliom God justi-
fies, them He also glorifies." The ground of this grace is
the finished work of Jesus Christ ; and this grace, as that
work is absolutely perfect, cannot be mthdrawn — cannot even
be lessened, and for the same reason, it cannot, except in
its manifestations, be increased or multiplied.^
(3.) But there is a third sense in which the grace of God
— His special kindness — is said to belong to Christians, in
Avhich it may — and in which it does — increase or multiply ; and
it is plainly in reference to this, that the Apostle Peter here and
elsewhere, as well as his beloved brother Paul in his Epistles,
uses the term, when they pray that grace — or love — may
abound or be multiplied to the Christians to whom they are
^ It has been justly said, " The grace of God that justifieth hath neither
more nor less. It admits of no latitude, as being absolute and perfect in
itself, for a man cannot be more than justified." — Adams.
2(5 THE apostle' !S EXIIORTATIOX. [I'AKT I.
writiiio-. In the 2(1 chapter of Luke, v. 40, it is said,^ " the
i2;race of God was on the child Jesus" — i.e., '■ God regarded
Him Avith complacent approbation ;' and at the 52d verse,
He is said to have " increased in favotu'" — grace (it is the
same word), "with God and with man."^ Every day He dis-
covered new excellencies, as His human character developed
itself, and those excellencies were regarded by Plis Father with
complacent love. In the same general sense, the word seems
used in the jjhrase " Looldng diligently lest any man fail of
the grace of God" — lose the approbation of God by walking
inconsistently with his Christian profession ; and " grow in
grace," or rather 'in the grace,' "and in the knowledge of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," i.e., ' Continue in His
love by keeping His commandments, as by keeping His
Father's commandments He continued in His Father's love.'
By becoming better and better, become more and more the
object of the love of Him who cannot but love moral excel-
lence in the degi'ee in which it exists and is exhibited. The
synonymous word "love" is used in a similar way, "Keep
yourselves in the love of God." Beware of offending Him.^
All men, in their natural state, are the objects of the Divine
moral disapprobation, as well as judicial displeasm^e. There
is nothmg in their character or conduct, nothing in their
actions — or in the principles from which they spring — that
can be the object of the complacency or approbation of a holy
God, who " loves righteousness and hates iniquity." But
when a man becomes a Christian by obtaining " like precious
faith" with the apostles, an important change takes place in
his character as well as in his state, in his dispositions as well
as in his relations. When united to Christ, he is not onlv
interested in His merits so as to be justified, but he is so
animated by His Spirit, and conformed to His image, as to be
^ -jCttpti &iov i]v iTT avro — -TiUihiov \movg.
- TrpoiKOTm i(,Kpnt TToipot, &eu k»1 dvSpa'KOt?.
^ These views will be found more fully unfolded in the first of four ser-
mons on Jude 20, 21, appended to " Discourses suited to the administration
of the Lord's Supper."
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDKESSED. 27
sanctified. He is '' created anew in Christ Jesus, in right-
eousness and true holiness" — " transformed by the renewing
of the mind" of which the Spirit is the author, and the truth
as it is in Jesu.s — believed — is the instrument. He thinks as
God thinks — chooses as God chooses — wills as God wills ;
and in the degree in which he does so, he is, and must be,
the object of the Divine complacency. The second crea-
tion of man, like the first, is a subject of satisfaction to its
Divine Author. It appears to Him " very good." " With a
pleasing countenance" He beholds man anew made upright
" in His own image — after His likeness." Of this special
grace or favour, every renewed man is the object; and he
possesses more or less of it, just according to the degree in
which he is renewed : for God sees persons and things as they
really are.
This is one of the highest privileges of the Christian. To
have " come short of the glory of God," that is, to have lost
His approbation, to have become, not the object of esteem
and love, but of disapprobation and dislike to the wisest,
holiest, most benignant, and most powerftd being in the
universe, is really the worst consequence of sin, involving
in it all the rest ; and to be at last fomid and declared to be
perfectly and unchangeably, " in the wdiole man, soul, body,
and spirit," the fit object of the entire approbation, the com-
placent delight of this all perfect being, this is the very essence
and completion of the " salvation that is in Christ, with eternal
glory." Pardon and justification are precious blessings, but
they are so chiefly as laying the only sure foundation for
that spiritual change of character which draws down on its
possessor the approbation and complacential love of God.
To be an object of this love is, just in other words, to be truly
holy, for holiness alone, holiness wherever it exists, and in the
degree in which it exists, is the object of the Divine approba-
tion and delight.
But the Christian is a possessor not only of grace, but also
of " Peace." This is the second tmth implied in the apostle's
wish under consideration. In the wish that peace may be
2H THE AI'U.STLE's EXllOllTATION. [I'AKT F.
multiplied to those to whom the apostle wrote it is clearly im-
plied that they have peace. " Peace '" is a general word for
liappiness ; but it is so because, in a being constituted like
man, nothing but what produces inward tranquillity, concord
in the mind, quiet in the heart, can make him happy. JSlan
the sinner, is a stranger to true peace. " There is no peace,
saith my God, to the wicked." Doubt and uncertainty on
the most important of all subjects ; dissatisfaction witli,
and rebellion against law by which he feels himself bound ;
remorse for breaking this law, which, while he hates, he
cannot but inwardly approve; passions ill directed and ill
managed ; desires unsatisfied and nnsatisfiable ; hopes con-
staiitly disappointed, even when seemingly gratified; fears
of undefined yet tremendous evil, at and after death, and
uncertainty as to what may take place even in life — all
these make the unregenerate man " like the troubled sea,
that cannot rest." There is no solid peace to his mind,
to his conscience, to his heart. It was once so with the
Christian, but it is not so now. When he obtained " like
precious faith " wdth the apostles, " believing, he entered into
rest," peace ; " the peace of God which passes all under-
standing" entered into his mind and heart; and entered
not as a wa^'faring man to tarry for a night, but to dwell
there ; aye, to " rule " there, and to " keep," preserve, the
mind and the heart through Christ Jesus. " Being justified
by faith, he has peace with God." Believing, on the authority
of God, what the Gospel reveals respecting the character and
Avill of God, especially in reference to the method of human
salvation, he obtains, in the measure of his faith, deliverance
from the unrest of uncertainty. lie does not doubt and guess,
he knows and is sure. Believing that an infinite atonement
has been offered and accepted for the sins of men, that " the
blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth fi'om all sin," and
that " God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself," he
obtains, in the measure of his faith, relief from the unrest of
^ iipvivr,.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 29
remorse. Knowing that God is satisfied with the expiation
made, his conscience is satisfied also, being sprinkled by the
peace-speaking blood of the great atonement. The jealousies
of guilt are quelled ; the inward rebellion is put down ; for
lie whom he had made his enemy, is his reconciled Father,
and He " grants him His law graciously." It appears not only
" holy and just," but " good." He loves it, and finds how
true the Psalmist's declaration is, " Great peace have they
wlio love Thy law." The love of God, through the faith of
the truth, tajkes possession of the throne of the heart, and the
result is, that in the degree in which it reigns, all the passions
take the right direction, fix themselves on their proper objects,
and seek them with the due measure of ardour, no longer
conflicting with each other, but in happy concord ministering
to their common sovereign. God, embraced as the upmaking
portion of the soul, satisfies the heart, and in the enjoyment of
Him the Christian says, " This is the rest — this is the refresh-
ing ;" " Whom have I in heaven but God, and there is none in
all the earth I desire beside Him. My flesh and my heart" will
" faint and fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my
portion for ever." His faith gives him " a good hope through
grace ;" " a living hope," not dead, not dying ; a hope that
cannot make him ashamed, for he knows that he shall assur-
edly obtain what he hopes for, for God has said so ; and he
knows he shall find in it even more than he expects — than he
can expect ; and, " filled with hope through the Holy Ghost,"
he is delivered fi'om the agitations of the fear that has torment,
and can peacefully look forward to life with all its changes,
death witli its unknown trials, judgment with its awful
solemnities, and eternity with its mysterious unchanging
realities. This is the peace on the enjoyment of which a
man enters when he becomes a Christian, and which he
enjoys in the measure in which he obtains " like precious
fiiith " with the apostles. Thus, as to have grace in the
sense in which tlie term is liere used is to be holy, inasmuch
as nothing but holiness can be the object of the Divine com-
placent approbation — so to liave peace is to be hapjiy, inasnnicli
30 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART I.
as freedom from all that can disturb, and the possession of all
that can satisfy, constitutes happiness. True Christians are
holy, happy persons, in consequence of their having obtained
" like precious faith" with the apostles, and it is this which
makes that faith so precious.
The third truth implied in the words of the apostle under
consideration is, that the grace and the peace of the Christian
required to be increased or multiplied. He is really holy, but
how far from being pei'fectly holy ! he is really happy, but he
is far from being perfectly happy.
The Christian needs to have grace " multiplied " to him.
Grace, in the sense of electing love, cannot be increased or
multiplied. It is an eternal, immutable determination of the
Divine mind to save the individual, and is like the mind in
which it resides, " the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."
Grace, in the sense of judicial pardon or justification, does
not admit of being increased or multiplied. It is conferred
once for all. From the moment of union with Christ, it
continues a certain truth that this person united to Christ
is secured of all the blessed saving results of His mediation
througliout time and eternity. But grace, in the sense of
the complacency of God, admits of indefinite increase or
multiplication. The grace of election cannot change; its
cause is in the divine benignant sovereignty, the good pleasui'e
of Jehovah's will. The grace of justification cannot change,
for its ground is the finished work of Christ, the offering
of the body of the incarnate Son once for all. But the
grace of complacency resting as it does on the w^ork of
the Spirit in the mind, on the progressive conformity in
thought and affection, in mind and will, to God, obviously
admits of increase. The Christian is as really sanctified as
lie is elected or justified; and sanctified wholly, too, that is, in
every part of his complex constitution, " soul, body, and spirit;"
but in every part of that constitution he is but imperfectly
sanctified. He is " bom of the Spirit," and, so far as he is born
of the Spirit, " he sinneth not," and the grace of God is on
him as it was on his all-perfect Lord. But in him there is
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 31
Still flesh as well as spirit, and as the flesh is enmity against
God, so it is hateful to Him. Sin dwells in Christians, and
God does not love but hates sni wherever it dwells, and He
hates it nowhere so much as in His own chosen, redeemed, par-
doned ones. And the prevalence of sin necessarily brings on
Christians not the grace, the favour, the benignant smile, but
the fatherly displeasure, the frown of God. In the degree
in which they are influenced by " the flesh," that is, native cor-
rupt principle, they are not approved, they are disapproved of
God, and He shows His disapprobation of them. When they
were " in the flesh," entirely under its influences, they could
not please God at all, and now they displease Him when they
allow the law in the members to get the better of the law in
the mind, and they only then do the things that are pleasing
in His sight, when tliey walk in the spirit, and do not fulfil
the lust of the flesh. Christians cannot be the objects of the
entire, unvaiying, complacential approbation of God, till they
are " perfect and entire, w^anting nothing." Oh, how far are
the best of them from this ? how much is wanting, how much
is wrong ? How do they need to grow in knowledge, faith,
humility, love, self-renunciation and self-sacrifice, in reverence
and holy fear, in living hope and holy joy? In proportion
as they grow in these, they will " grow in grace," or in other
words, have " grace multiplied to them." God will regard
with complacent approbation every advance they make in holi-
ness, and give them, in the best way, distinct evidence that
He does so.
And as the Christian needs to have grace, so he also
needs to have peace multiplied to him. As he needs to be
made more holy, he needs to be made more happy. Apart
from external afflictions, Avhich, however severe, go but a
short way to make a man unhappy who is in possession of the
peace of God, Christians are prevented fi'om being so happy
as they might be and should be (as it is a duty in a Christian
to be happy), and are even made to a veiy considerable de-
gree unha})py by their own folly and sin. Because their
knowledge of truth and its evidence is not so extensive and
32 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
accurate as it might and should he, they are harassed witli
douhts. Becavise they lose sight of the perfection of tlie
Sa\iour's work of atonement, they are agitated with the fears
of giult. Distrusting God, tliey are anxioiis and " troubled
about many thincvs," about everything. Not seekino; with so
uiu'eseryed a heart as they should do, rest in God, they do not
find it in Him, and they cannot find it elsewhere. Yielding
too much to the power of the present world, and seeking and
expecting from it what it cannot giye, they pierce themselves
through with many sorrows. Not " walking in the fear of
the Lord," in the degree in whicli they ought, they do not —
they cannot — "walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost;" and
losinsf sio-ht of Him who is " the resurrection and the life,"
" who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to
light" — they are often "in bondage through fear of death," and
of what is beyond it. The Christian's peace is very imperfect
in the present state, and it is by no means difficult in ordi-
nary cases to see how it is so — how, indeed, it could not be
otherwise. Peace is, here below, rather like the little brook
than the mighty river, w^th its flowing stream. But it is
needless to enlarge here, for every Christian is sensible that
peace needs to be " multiplied" to Mm. It is of more import-
ance to proceed to show how this increase is to be obtained.
The last trutli intimated to us by the words imder con-
sideration is, that grace and peace are to be multiplied
" through'''' or in " the knowledge of God, and our Saviour
Jesus Christ." Christians are to have their holiness and happi-
ness increased ; they are to become more the objects of the
Divine complacency, and to receive more abundant proofs that
they are so — " through" ^ or in " the knowledge of God and our
1 Iv is generally said to be here used for ha.. But we see no reason
why it should not have its proper meaning. " Through the knowledge,
literally hi the knowledge ; but the preposition Iv often means through, or
with : yet either sense may suit the context. I am, however, more dis-
posed to the former ; for the more any one advances in tlie knowledge of
God, every kind of blessing increases also equally \\ ith the sense of Divine
love." — Calvin, Owen's translation.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRES8ET). 33
Saviour Jesus Christ." Wliile they did not know God and
our Saviour Jesus Christ ; while they lived in ignorance and
unbelief of the Gospel — of that revelation God has made of
His own redeeming character, and the saving work of His
Son, in the word of the truth of the Gospel, they were desti-
tute equally of grace and peace. It was in the knowledge of
God and His Son, which they obtained by the faith of the
Gospel, that they attained to that measure of grace and peace
which they possess. And these precious possessions can be
retained and increased only in the Avay in which they were
originally obtained. We must " grow in the knowledge of
God and our Lord Jesus Christ," if we would " grow in His
grace." We must seek an increase of peace in an increasing-
knowledge of the character of God, and the work of His
Son, the source and channel of our peace. It is the losing-
sight of the truth about God and Christ, that prevents us
from doing the things which are well-pleasing in His sight,
and deprives us of the peace and joy that can only be enjoyed
in believing. The only way of holiness and happiness is
the way of faith. We must '■'■ live by the faith of the Son of
God," if we would ^' serve God acceptably, Avithout fear, in
righteousness and holiness, all the days of our lives,"
The words before us are but a wish ; but in most of the
apostolic Epistles,^ this wish takes the form of a prayer : —
" Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, aud the
Lord Jesus Christ." This increase of grace and peace is a
l)lessini>- which onlv " God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Chi'ist" can bestow ; and it is to be sought and expected as
the answer of believing, fervent, persevering prayer. Before
proceeding to the exposition of the two other descriptive views
of true Christians — as "the called" and "the chosen" of God,
let us attend to the practical use of what has now been stated,
Avhich is so very plain, that " he may run who reads it."
All mankind mav be divided into two classes — thev wlio
' Rom. ; 1 and 2 Cor.; Gal.: Ki.li. ; IMiil.; Cnl. ; 1 and "J Tiu's. ;
1 and 'I Tim.; Tit. ; Piiilcm.
34 THE apostle's exhortation. [paht I.
liave, and they who want, " grace and peace." I hope that
not a few of my readers liaving ohtaiiied like precious faith
with the apostles, are in possession of the complacential
approbation of God, and of well-groinided peace. To such
I say, you cannot be too thankful, brethren ; you cannot
be too humble. How valuable are the gifts you have ob-
tained ! how ill did vou deserve tliem — how little have you
improved them I Seek to be more and more the objects
of the complacent approbation of your heavenly Father.
Tremlde at the thought of seeing His most venerable be-
nignant countenance darkened by a frown. Seek to have
" yoiu' hearts assured before Him," and to this end seek that
they be " stablished unblameable in holiness before Him." See
that ye do " the things that are Avell-pleasing to Him." Seek
larger and larger measures of holiness and happiness, of grace
and peace. Live not so far beneath your privileges as you
do. How much more of heaven might you enjoy on earth by
an increased measure of grace and peace ! Remember that
grace and peace are to be increased as they were commenced,
in the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
" Build yourselves up, then, on your most holy faith ;" " Fol-
low on to know the Lord," and knowing that, while increase
in grace and peace is your duty, it is also God's gift, pray
each of you for himself, and all for one another, that " the
God of all grace may make all grace to abound to you ; that
tlie God of hope may fill you with all joy and peace in be-
lieving, that ye may abound in hoj^e by the power of the
Holy Ghost ; that the God of peace may give you peace at
all times, by all means ; that He may make you perfect in
every good Avork, working in you that which is well-pleasing
in His sight."
There may be others, I am afraid, aaIio are destitute equally
of grace and peace ; who are the objects of the judicial dis-
pleasure and moral disapprobation of God, and whose steps
have never yet found the way of peace. We pity such men —
we pray for them ; we beseech them to consider how miserable
and danoeroiTS is their condition — how degraded their cha-
SECT. I.] THE PEKSONS ADDllESSEI). 35
racter, how indefensible tlieir conduct. But their condition
is not liopeless : they may yet " please God ;" they may yet
obtain true happiness. Grace and peace may yet be possessed
hy them — may yet be multiplied to them. God is making
Himself known to them as "the God of grace" and " of peace,"
as " God in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself." Christ
is set forth before them as " the peace" — their peace ; as the
only and all-sufficient Saviour, able and AAilling to save them
coming to God by Him, " the Saviour of the world." He is
preaching " peace to them afar oflF," as they are, from Him.
" To them is the word of this salvation sent." In the know-
ledge of God and Jesus contained in that word they may, and,
if they believe, they assuredly' shall, find " gi'ace and peace."
They can obtain them in no other way. Oh, " may He \Adio
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine in their
minds, and give them that light of the knowledge of the glorj^
of God, in the face of Christ Jesus," which will transform their
minds and hearts, and shed abroad on them the light of peace
and joy. Then, indeed, shall they be truly holy, truly happy —
never either really holy or really happy till then.
3. — They are '■'• called ^ hy God to,^' or rather ^ throw ih^ '-^ glory
and virtue^
I proceed now to the consideration of the third descriptive
representation of those to whom the exhortation is addressed.
They are " called by God to,'' or rather hy, as in the margin,
"glory and vu'tue." The word "call"^ is often used in the
1 The verb x.oc'hsu, and the noun xa-^u/.c, and the participial adjective
■/CKyitoc.
2 In illustrating this appellation, and in one or two other cases, I have
preferred laying myself open to the charge of, in some degree, repeating
myself, rather than make a hiatus in the exposition, by a mere reference
to some other publication, which may not be within reach of the reader
of this, I have done this the more readily, considering the annoyance some-
times experienced from such references, and observing that one of the most
judicious writers of our time, Archbishop Whately, does not scruple to
carry the practice farther than I have any occasion to do.
36 THE apostle's EXllOllTATIOX. [PART I.
New Testament in reference to tliat change, by wliich men
become Christians. The prophet Joel, speaking of the spirit
of the people of God imder the economy of the Messiah,
describes them as " the remnant whom the Lord shall call"
The apostle, speaking of his own conversion, says, " It pleased
God to call me by His grace," and describes himself as " called
to be an apostle," or ' a called apostle.' The participants of the
Christian salvation are represented as, " as many as the Lord
our God shall call.''' Christians are described as "the called
of Jesus Christ," " they that are called'" — the called ones,
" called according to God's purpose," " called to the fellowship
of God's Son Jesus Christ," ^^ called to liberty," ^^ called in
one body," " called to eternal life," " called out of darkness
into God's marvellous light," " called to inheiit a blessing,"
^'called to God's eternal glory," ^^ called with a heavenly,
holy, hopeful calling," " called into grace," or rather ' in
grace' — graciously. " Calling'^ has an important place in
those blessings of the Christian salvation, which the apostle
represents as indissolubly connected together. It stands in
the same category with predestination, justification, and glori-
fication. " Whom He did predestinate, them He also called ;
and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He
justified, them He also glorified." John the divine, describes
the army of the Lamb, when contending with the kings of
the earth and their armies, as composed of those Avho are
" called, and chosen, and faithful."
It is obviously then a question of importance and interest :
What is this " calling," so often spoken of in the New Testa-
ment as pecvdiar to Christians? What are we taught in
reference to the state or character of Christians, when they
are termed ^^ the called'' — "the called o/" God?" The word
" call " has various shades of meaning, in two of which it is
very well fitted to designate what is peculiar to true Chris-
tians The word is used as equivalent to ' name' — give a
designation to — thus God is said to call Cyrus by his name,
Joseph is required to call the name of the son of his virgin
wife, Jesus; and it is also used as equivalent to — 'invite' or
SECT. I,] THE I'ERSONS ADDRESSED. 37
' command.' Tims our Lord says, " I am not come to call the
righteous, hut sinners to repentance."
In the first of these acceptations, Christians may be de-
nominated the called ones — called — called by God. They
have peculiar names — distinctive characteristic names — given
them by God ; they are called " sons and daughters of the
Almighty"—" children and heirs of God"—" God's people"
— His "inheritance" — His "purchased possession" — "a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar
people." These are distinguishing denominations divinely
bestowed on them. They are " men of name" — distinguished
persons.
It does not, however, admit of a doubt, that it is in the
second shade of meaning that the word " callecV is usually, if
not uniformly, employed as a designation of true Christians.
They are persons who, in some peculiar way, have been the
subjects of a Divine invitation and command — persons who
have been so invited as to have complied with the invitation
— persons who have been so commanded as to have obeyed
the command — persons who, to use the language of our
Shorter Catechism, have been " effectually called."
This name, descriptive of the people of God under the new
dispensation, is, like almost all their distinctive appellations,
borrowed from the preparative economy ; and one of the best
ways of discovering the meaning of such appellations, is to
inquire into their origin. The origin of the application of the
word "called" as a descriptive denomination of God's people,
under both economies, is to be found, I apprehend, in two
remarkable facts, referred to in the following passages of
Scripture — " I called Abraham alone," ^ i.e., ' when he was
alone' — "When Israel was a child I loved him, and called My
son out of Egypt." ^ By a revelation of the Divine will,
directly made to him, and understood, believed and obeyed
by him, Abraham was brought out from among his idolatrous
relatives, made to leave Ur of the Chaldecs, and invested with
1 Isa. li. 2. - Ho.s. xi. 1.
38 THE ArOfeTLKS EXHORTATION. [I'AJiT \.
privileges, and formed to u character suitable to the place he
was to occupy as the "father of the faithful" — the great patri-
arch of the family of God on earth. By a revelation of the
Divine will made to them through the instrumentality of
Moses, understood and believed by them, the Israelites were
brought out of a state of bondage — induced to leave Egypt, and
enter on the pnvileges and duties of God's peculiar people,
first in the wilderness, and then in Canaan. In like manner,
when in a state of alienation from God, and of spiritual
bondage, the voice of God in the revelation of mercy, is, by
His providence, brought to the ear, and, by the effectual
operation of His Spirit, brought to the heart, of those who are
the destined "heirs of salvation" — so that its meaning and
evidence are perceived by them, and its authority and Divine
kindness felt by them, and thus, yielding themselves to its
influence, they " come out and are separate" fi'om the world
lying under the wicked one, and enjoy the privileges, are
formed to the character, and ])erform the duties of " the sons
and daughters of the Lord God Almighty." This is to be
" called" — " effectually called ;" " called out of the darkness"
of ignorance, depravity and misery, into the "marvellous
light" of true knowledge, holiness and happiness.
The gi'eat truth brought before the mind, by this represen-
tation of true Christians, is that, on the one hand, while men
do not hear and listen to the voice of God calling them, they
must remain, from the very nature of the case, alienated from
God — strangers to the privileges and character of the people
of God ; and on the other, that where this call is so rendered
effectual by the Holy Spirit, as that the man understands it,
believes it, and bends to the authority and grace which it
embodies — then he is brought near, and brought into the
fellowship and kingdom of God's dear Son.
This calling is plainly not our own work ; it is not the work
of other men, though they may be instrumentally employed in
effecting it. It is, as Paul says, " not according to our works,
hnt according to God's own purpose and grace, given us in
Christ Jesus before the Avorld bcoan." "He," savs Peter,
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 39
" He liatli called us" — " called us," as he elsewhere says, " out
of darkness into His marvellous light" — " called us unto His
eternal glory by Christ Jesus." The appellation " He who calls
Christians," viewed by itself, might naturally enough be sup-
posed to be descriptive of our Lord Jesus Christ. But when
we look at the many passages of Scripture where this ' calling'
is mentioned, a number of wOiich have been quoted, we shall
come to the conclusion, that it is God the Father, who, in the
whole restorative economy, acts as sustaining the majesty of
the divinity — predestinating, calling, justifying, glorifying.
In the new creation all things are of the Father, throiajh the
Son, hi/ the Spirit. The call to Israel after the flesh, was
the call of Jehovah by Moses ; the call to the spiritiial Israel
is the call of Jehovah by Jesus, speaking in His word —
working by His Spirit. His call alone is effectual. His
word is spirit and life — "it leaps forth into eflFect;" it "calls
for things that be not, and they are;" it makes men what it
calls them to be — His word is wath power.
This is the idea contained in the second part of this descrip-
tion of true Christians. They are not only called — called by
God, but " called to," or rather, as it is in the margin, " called
br/ glory and virtue."^ The idea naturally conveyed to the
mind by these English words, " called to glory and virtue,"
is, that the persons referred to are, by their calling, brought
into an honourable state, and required to be distinguished
by a virtuous character and conduct — that " glory and virtue"
in them are the design and efifect of their calling.
There can be no doubt this is the truth. They who are
called of God, are called that they may "inherit glory" — that
they may be intimately related to, and perfectly conformed —
so far as their natures admit — to God, the most glorious
Being in the universe ; that they may be His children, " sons
and daughters of the Lord God Almighty;" that they may
be engaged in the most honourable employment in which
1 The rendering of our translators is, I believe, utterly indefensible.
Pott justly says, that the sense they give is one " grjecis am-ibus plane in
audituni." o/os is never used for ek. How shoiild it ?
40 TllK Ar(JSTLE\s EXllUKTATIOX. [PAKl' I.
creatures can be employed — His service ; and that tliey may
obtain the hi idlest hononr ^Yhich can be conferred on crea-
tures — His approbation; that they may "reign in life" Avith
Christ, may be " kings and priests to God," even His Father.
" The God of all grace" calls them to His " kingdom and
i^lorv" — His " eternal odorv bv Christ Jesus." And it is
equally true that they are called to virtue, in the sense of i-iglit,
holy dispositions and conduct. They are called as well as
chosen, " that they may be holy and Avithout blame " — their
calling is " a holy calling," They are called out of the world
" lying under the wicked one," that they may be God's peculiar
people, "denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and liWng
soberly, righteously and godly in this present world." " God
has not called them to uncleanness, but unto holiness."
'\Aniile all this is truth, important truth, and truth naturally
enough expressed in the words in the English text, " called
to slorv and to vu-tue," there is no doubt that it cannot be
brouD'ht out of the original words — that the maro-inal readino-,
" by glory and vu"tue," is their only correct, as it is their
literal translation ; and that they do not describe the end, the
design or result, of the Christian's calling, but the manner of
it, the means by which it is produced.^
But what is meant by being called by God, by " glory and
Aartue." " Glory and virtue " are not two things ; but, by a
figure of speeclTof which we have many instances in Scripture,
the expression is equivalent to " glorious vu'tue," just as
"justice and judgment" in the Psalm means "just judgment;"
and, in the history of the Lystrians' attempt to offer sacrifice
to the apostles, " oxen and garlands," means " garlanded
oxen." The proper ordinary meaning of the word rendered
" virtue," is power or energy ; and the apostle's idea may be
expressed in the English idiom thus, " by a glorious power "
Christians are called by God in the exercise of a glorious,
an illustrious, wonderfiil power. This exactly accords with
' uoiTr, and ooia ivlor not to ihe ciiUch!. but to tin- caller, not lo nu-n.
liut to (Jod.
SECT. I.] THE PEK80NS ADDRESSED. 41
Avliat the apostle says in his first epistle, when he represents
Christians as " a peculiar people, that they may show forth
the praises,"^ literally, the virtues, that is, the energies, the
powers " of Him who called them out of darkness into His
marvellous light."
The effectual calling of men is a work of power — of omni-
potence. No created agency is capable of so calling men as
to " turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan to God, so that they may receive the forgiveness of
sin, and an inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith
which is in Christ." No voice but the voice of God can
make the spiritually dead to hear, to hear so as to believe and
obey.
Divine power was strikingly manifested in giving the revela-
tion by means of which the call is addressed to men. That call
is not given by a voice fi'om heaven. It is contained in the
word of the truth of the Gospel. That is the voice of God.
Now, what a display of divine power was made, on the minds
of those to whom the revelation was made. Flesh and blood
did not reveal it to them, but their Father in heaven, and He
did it by a miraculous operation on their minds — by the work-
ing of His Spirit making them know " what eye had not seen,
ear had not heard, and what it could never have entered into
the heait of man to conceive." An audible voice from heaven
calling; men to turn to God throuoh Christ, would be acknow-
ledged to be a glorious display of a divine energy ; but it
would not be, in reality, a more glorious display of it than
that put forth in the influence exercised over the minds of
inspired men, in giving them the message by which men were
to be called. In doing this, God, to use the apostle's lan-
guage, " worked in them mightily." The commanding the
light to shine out of darkness, and fixing it in the snn, was
not so glorious a display of divine power, as the shining in
the apostles' hearts, in order to their becoming the lights of
^ TO.; doiroc.;. and the oo'l'/ -/.oil cioervi, and the 1:^00^.0: dotryj. are the same
tilings.
42 THE apostle's EXnORTATIOX. [PART I.
the world ; " the giving them tlie light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Divine power was also gloriously displayed in gi^^ng the
evidence of the revelation by which men are called, and
without which it could not have answered the pui-pose ; for a
divine revelation, without evidence that it is a divine revela-
tion, could never be recognised by a being constituted like
man, as the voice of God. What a display of glorious power
was given when God bare ■s\'itness to the testimony of the
apostles, both with " signs and wonders, and with divers
miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His will!"
But Avhen the apostle represents Christians as called by
God in the exercise of a glorious energy, the reference does
not seem to be so much, if at all, to the power exercised in
giving and confirming the revelation of grace and truth, bv
which the Christian is called, as to the energy exercised on his
mind in calling him. When God effectually calls a man. He
manifests a glorious energy. He does what no other being in
the universe can do. The Apostle Paul, speaking of this
energ}'^, calls it " the exceeding greatness of God's power i
towards them who believe, according to the workinor of His
mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised
Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in
the heavenly places."
Wliat a glorious powxr went along with the call, " Fol-
low Me," uttered by our Lord on earth, when it induced
men, in opposition to their worldly interest, to forsake all and
follow Him ! This poAver was not less glorious than that
which stilled the storm, healed the sick, raised the dead.
AYliat a resistless energy was that which the voice of Jesus, our
Lord fi'om heaven, exercised on the soul of Saul of Tarsus,
when he was called ! " Vflio art Thou, Lord ?" " I am Jesus
of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest." The blasphemer — a
blasphemer no more — replies, " Lord, what wouldst Thou
have me to do f and from that hour till he laid his head on
the block as Jesus' martyr, that power never lost its energy.
His Avholc life Avas sjient In doing, at whatever cost of labour
SECT. T.] THE I'EUSONS ADDRESSED. 43
and suffering, what Jesus his Lord would have him do. The
power which prostrated the strong man on the earth, was but
a type of the power which humbled his proud spirit, and
carried thorough change into the deepest recesses of his
hardened heart.
Conversion, or effectual calling, in every case, is substan-
tially the same thing. There is always the putting forth of
a mighty, an almighty influence, a glorious power. The
power must be great, for the opposition to be overcome is
a'reat both from within and from without. The call is to re-
nounce self and come to God through Christ, that we may be
delivered from what we naturally love, sin, though it be in
reality the cause of all evils to us. Now, to do this, there is in
every man in his natural state, a disinclination amounting to
a moral disability. It is absolutely certain that no man will
ever believe and obey the Gospel, but under an influence
which, though in no way inconsistent with his rational and
free nature, is divine in its origin, and invincible in its power.
No man can come to God but by Christ. No man can come
to Christ but by God effectuall}- calling him to come, and
thus leading him to Christ. There is a power which comes
with the voice of God, making the spiritually dead hear and
understand it ; and hearing and understanding, he lives an
entirely new life, having by this call — rendered effectual by
divine influence — been made a new creature. Is not this a
glorious power ?
But great opposition from without, as well as from within,
must be overcome when a man is effectually called. The
power of the world, and of the prince of the world, oppose
the sinner's complying with this call. That which over-
comes .their combined powers (and they are overcome in every
case of conversion or effectual calling) must be powerful
indeed. He that enters in and spoils the strong man of his
goods, must be stronger than he. ., When " the prey is taken
from the mighty, and the captive from the terrible," there
must be the exertion of a glorious power. — So nuich for
the illustration of the third statement descriptive of those
44 THE apostle's exhortation. [paht I.
to whom the exhortation in the text is addressed — they are
persons who have been called by God in the exercise of glo-
rious power.
4. — Theij are not o)dy the called.^ but the chosen of God.
The fourth and last circumstance in reference to these
persons noticed in the paragraph is, that they are not only
the called, but the chosen of God. The exhortation addressed
to them is, to " make their calling and election sure,"^ plainly
imphang that they haye been elected as well as called.
There is a double election or choice, of Mhich all true Chris-
tians are the objects. They were, from all eternity, chosen
to salvation by God, in the exercise of sovereign mercy.
According to the Apostle Paul, the " God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ chose " all whom He " blesses with all
heavenly and spiritual blessings;" "chose them in C^hrist
before the foundation of the world — having predestinated them
in love unto the adoption of children," " according to the good
pleasure which He purposed in Himself," " who worketh all
things after the counsel of His o\^ai will." This election could
not be on-.the ground of excellence e.vist{ng, for the objects of
the choice did not exist when chosen. It was "not according
to their works, but according to His own purpose and grace,
given them in Christ Jesus, before the world began." Nor
did it proceed on the ground of excellence foreseen ; for in
sinful man all excellence is the result of this choice. They
were chosen, not because it was foreseen they would be, but i7i
order that, being chosen, they might be made to be " holy, and
without blame before God in love." This election has no
cause out of God, and is, like God, immutable. The purpose
of God, according to election, must stand. This is the blessing
out of Avhich all other blessings flow, to those who are its
objects. " Whom He predestinates. He calls; whom He calls,
Pie justifies ; whom He justifies. He glorifies."
^ For the meaning of the word iK'hoy/j, as applied to Christians, see
Rom. xi. 5, 28 ; 1 Thes. i. 4 ; Eph. i. 4 ; Tit. i. 1 ; 2 John l.*? ; Kcv.
xvii. 14.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 45
As from all eternity the saved were chosen by God, so in
time are they, as the consequence of this choice, selected from
the rest of mankind, and made a pecuhar people to Himself.
This kind of choice, or selection, is made when they are effec-
tually called, and by means of their effectual calling. When
the call of God comes to them '' not in word only," but in its
glorious power, " with the Holy Ghost and with much assur-
ance," they " come out from the world, and are separate ;"
and in their transformed character and chan";ed conduct, it
becomes evident to themselves and others, that they are among
those whom God hath "set apart for Himself" — His "pur-
chased possession," His " peculiar people." It does not matter
much in which of these two closely connected meanings of the
word " election," we understand the language of the apostle.
Every time Christian is the object of Divine choice in both
senses, and the second is but the consequence and manifesta-
tion of the first.
I have thus endeavoured to reply to the first question, WJio
are the persons to whom the exhortation contained in this
paragraph is addressed'? and the answer has been fourfold.
First, they are persons who have obtained like precious faith
with the apostles ; secondly, they are persons wdio are in
possession of grace and peace, but need to have their grace
and peace multiplied ; thirdly, they are called by God in the
exercise of a glorious power ; and, fourtldy, the}^ are the
subjects of a Divine election as well as a Divine calling. The
next point to be considered is, What these persons are exhorted
to do ? they are exhorted to " make their calling and their
election siu'e." But before proceeding to the consideration
of this part of the subject, let us endeavour to find out what
practical improvement we should make of the truths which
have just been brought before our minds.
From Scripture and experience, there can be no doubt that
" calling and election" are not mere words. They are real
things — invaluable privileges enjoyed by some of our race. Do
we possess them ? Are we among those who are with the
Lamb " called and chosen and faithful V
46 THE apostle's exhortation. [part t.
It is not necessary to ask tlie question, Have we been called?
in the sense of, Have the calls and invitations of the Gospel
been addressed to us ? It is scarcely necessary even to ask
the question, have not these sometimes been pressed on us,
not only in the read or preached word, but by an inward
influence, making u^s feel, in some measure, their reality and
importance ? How often has God, in His word, called us to
repent and believe the Gospel — to turn from sin to Him — to
flee from the wrath to come — to hear His beloved Son — to
look to Him that we may be saved — to come to Him that,
taught by Him, we might have rest to our souls, and taking
on us His easy yoke and light biu'den, might, denying ungod-
liness and worldly lusts, live soberly, righteously, and godly
in this world, as a people purchased by His blood, that
Ave might be to Him a peculiar people, zealous of good
works ! How often, by the events of His Providence and
strivings of His Spnit, has He sought to fix our minds on
these calls !
Thus we have all been called. But multitiides are thus
called who are not effectually called. He calls, but they
refuse — He stretches out His hands, but they do not regard.
Gospel hearer, is this the case with thee ? Or hast thou been
constrained to listen to — to comply with — to obey the call ?
Has the word not only come to you, but come to you with
power ? Can you appropriate the words of the Shorter Cate-
chism in its description of this calling. The Holy Spirit, by
the word, has convinced me of my sin and misery — has
enlightened 7ny mind in the knowledge of Christ — has renewed
my will, and has thus persuaded and enabled me to embrace
Jesus Christ as He is offered to me in the Gospel — freely,
fully, particularly, as my Saviour and Lord — my Prophet to
teach me, my Priest to expiate my sins, and my King to
protect me by His power and govern me by His word and
Spirit.
Let him who knows that this is the truth — who has " the
witness in himself" — give all the praise where it is all due.
Let him acknowledge that it is all the result of God's
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 47
glorious power. Let him never forget that, called out of
darkness into God's glorious light, he ought to walk in
the light of truth, and holiness, and joy, as God is in the
light, knowing that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth
fi-om all sin. And let him often earnestly pray, that the
glorious power which sweetly compelled him to obey the call,
may be put forth to make others come in — to turn them
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God,
that they too may obtain the forgiveness of sins, and an
inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith which is
in Christ. " His arm is not shortened that He cannot save."
He still can cause His glorious voice to be heard, and " the
lighting down of His arm" to be seen, in mercy.
And oh ! tliou stupid, hard-hearted, God defying, Christ
despising, Spirit resisting, sinner — hear, hear again the
call — the call of mercy — "hear, and your soul shall live."
The Master, the Great Lord of the universe, is come^and
calls for you — aye, calleth you. He speaks to you by His
servant — " Hearken to Me thou stout-hearted one far from
righteousness. Behold I bring near to you My righteousness
and salvation. Look to Me and be saved. I am God, not
man. I am He that blotteth out your transgressions for My
own sake, and I will not remember your sin. Keturn, return,
I have redeemed thee. Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die."
Oh ! can you resist all this importunity of call on the part of
Infinite Greatness and Goodness — on the part of Him against
whom you have most causelessly rebelled, and who has but to
will it and immediately you are in the midst of that eternity of
ho]:)eless misery, in which you, refusing to glorify His grace,
shall be compelled to be the everlasting monuments of His
righteous vengeance '? Can you ? Yes you can. Will you ?
You have often done it, and you may do it again. Oh Thou
who art most mighty, accompany Thine own call with Thine
own glorious power, and save that poor, guilty, depraved, help-
less, infatuated creature, from drawing down on himself the
lingering lightnings of Thine anger ! Speak to his heart —
make him willing in the day of Thy power !
o
48 THE apostle's exi[oi;ta'I'I()\. [part [.
Am I amoiio; the elected to eternal sahation ? is a foolish
question, which some would have resolved hefore complying
with the call. It has nothing to do with their duty. It
is not the elect as such, it is men, sinful, perishing men, that
are the objects of the Gospel call. The only questions to the
point are. Is it God who calls ? Has He not a right to call,
and to expect that I shall respond to His call ? Have I any
reason to think that He dcsio-ns to deceive me ? Does He
promise me any thing He cannot bestow on me ? Are not all
His demands reasonable and right ? Why then neglect, why
delay to comply with them I The question. Am I elected ? is
a question which cannot be directly answered. " Who hath
known," who can know, "the mind of the Lord" in such
matters, till the decree bring forth the event? or, "who has
been His counsellor ? " The natural, reasonable order of things
is, accept the call — make it sure, and then only can you be-
come sure of the election.
And let the sinner beware of applying to his conscience this
flattering unction, that it is Ids not heincf elected that prevents
him obeying the call. What is unknown can have no moral
influence on the mind any more than what does not exist.
The cause of his refusing the call is nothino- in God, it is
his own love of sin and alienation of heart from God.
" God has not told us whom He has chosen to salvation. It
is not for us to know such matters. But He has told us that
all to whom the Gospel is preached shoifld believe it, and that
all who believe it shall be saved. We have a law plain and
express, and a promise encouraging obedience to it."^ The
command is given by Him Avho has a good right to give it.
The promise is given by Him who can do all things but deny
Himself, '\^^lat would we have more ?
And even with regard to true Christians, it behoves them
to take care how they seek the answer to the question, Am I
among the elect of God ? That is a question which is not
likelv to lie most satisfactorily answered bv socking n dh-cct
Dick.
SECT. I.] THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. 49
answer. Keep constantly before your mind the word of the
truth of the Gospel in its meaning and evidence, and you
can have no distressing doubts as to your own individual idti-
mate salvation ; and seek evidence of jonv election neither by
prying into the Divine counsels, which is impossible, nor by
poring upon yom' own hearts, where, at all times, if you see
clearly, you will find more to discourage than to comfort you,
but by taking the advice, " Add to your faith, virtue ; and to
virtue, knowledge ; and to knowledge, temperance ; and to
temperance, patience ; and to patience, godliness ; and to god-
liness, brotherly-kindness ; and to brotherly-kindness, charity."
It is in the faith of the Gospel, and in a constant continuance
in well-doing, that, " Brethren beloved, ye are to know your
election of God."
The question. Am I among the selected ones — those whom
God has actually set apart for Himself, those whom He has
made come out from the W' orld and be separate f is a very pro-
per one for all of us, whatever be our state and character, and
should not be difficult to answer. If we have obeyed the
call, we belong to that happy comjDany ; if we have not, we
do not. The world lying under the wicked one is destined
to destruction, along with him under whom it lies. The
world and its god must perish. None can be saved but
by being " delivered from this present evil world " — being
spiritually taken out of it and joined to that people whose
God is the Lord. Let those who have been thus selected
walk worthy of their calling and election, by being no more
of the world, even as their Lord and Saviour was not of
the world. And let those who are giving but too abundant
evidence, that they are not among the separated ones, but
following the multitude ; that they are not among the few
who enter through the strait gate, and walk along the naiTow
way which leads to life, but among the many Avho enter
through the wide gate, and walk along the broad road which
leads to destruction — ^pause and reflect what must be the end
of these things. Oh, let them seek to enter ere the Master of
the house rise up and shut to the door. lie has not yet done
D
50 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART I
SO. Behold, He sets before you an open door. In the fliith
of the truth enter in and ye shall find your place ready among
" the called, the chosen, the faithful." He will put you among
the children {faith is the children's character) and hestOAv on
you the children's inheritance. Remain Avithout, and your
portion must be with the dogs, to whom it is not meet to
ffive the children's bread.
" How long, ye simple ones, mil ye love simplicity? and
the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate know-
ledge ? Turn ye at my reproof: behold, I will poui' out My
Spirit upon you, I will make kno\vn My words to you."
Persist in disregai'dincr these calls — what must follow ? " Be-
cause I have called, and ye refused; I stretched out My
hands, and no man regarded ; but ye have set at nought My
counsel, and would none of My reproof: I also will laugh at
your calamity ; I will mock when your fear cometh ; wdien
yoiu' fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh
as a whirlwind ; when distress and anguish come upon you.
Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer ; they
shall seek ISIe early, but they shall not find Me : for that they
hated knoAvledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord :
they would none of My counsel ; they despised all My reproof:
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of tlieir own way, and be
filled with their own devices. For the tiu"ning away of the
simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy
them." But He cannot leave you without once more pointing
out the w^ay in which you may yet escape all this fiery indig-
nation, this everlasting destruction, this hopeless rviin. " But
whoso hearkeneth to Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet
from the fear of eA-il." Oh, that He who calleth thino-s that
be not as though they were, whose word attended by His Spirit
can make the dead hear and live, may save and call us all
with His holy calling, and justifying us by His grace, sancti-
fying us by His Spirit, give us an inheritance among them
Avho are sanctified by faith that is in Christ.
SECT II.] THE DUTY RECOMMENDED. 51
§ 2. WHAT ? THE DUTY ENJOINED ON THE PERSONS AD-
DRESSED THE MAKING OF THEIR CALLING AND
ELECTION SURE.
I now proceed to attempt an answer to the second ques-
tion, Wliat does the apostle call on these persons to do who
have obtained like precious faith with the apostles; are in
possession of grace and peace, but need more of both ; and
are the called and chosen of God? He calls on them to
"give all diligence to add to then' faith virtue, to virtue
knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience,
to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to
brotherly Idndness charity:" and he calls on them to " give all
(hligence to make their calling and election sure." These
two injunctions, though lying at some distance from each other
in the text, ver. 5 and 10, are closely connected. ' The
making sure their calling and election,' seems the duty which
it is the primary object of the apostle to enjoin. Everything
which precedes its injunction in ver. 10 seems plainly intended
to bear on it. This appears to be intimated by the manner
in which it is introduced :^ " Wherefore the rather," looking
back to all that had been said. The injunction in the 5th
and 6th verses contains a statement of the way in which
the injunction in the 10th verse is to be complied with. It
is by " giving all diligence to add to his faith virtue, and to
virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to tem-
perance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness
brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity," that
the Christian is to " make his calling and his election sure."
The order, then, best fitted to bring the whole subject, in a
satisfactory form, before the mind, seems to be, to explain
first, ichat the apostle would have Christians to do — " make
their calling and election sure ;" then, lio^c he would have
52 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
them to do it ; and then, show how the means pointed out by
the apostle are fitted to gain the end proposed.
Let us then inquix'e icliat the apostle calls on Christians
here to do ; or, in other Avords, What does he mean by their
" making their calling and election sui'e V " The calling" here
referred to is, as we have already shown, in the last section,
the being brought to faith and obedience, and to the enjoy-
ment of the blessings connected with these — "grace and peace,"
through the word of the truth of the Gospel, attended by the
glorious power of the Holy Ghost ; and " election" is either the
sovereign eternal choice of God, of which calling and all other
heavenly and spiritual blessings are to be considered as the
results, or the manifestation of this, in the actuallv selectincj,
fi'om among the mass of mankind, of the chosen ones, by their
effectual calling, and making them a part of His " peculiar
people," His " holy nation," His " inheritance," His " pur-
chased possession."
The question, then, now before us is. What is meant by
" maldng sure this calling and election ? "^ Some interpreters
have supposed that as, by an ordinary figiu'e of speech, faith,
Avhich properly means believing, is sometimes used to denote
the truth which is believed; hope, which properly means ex-
pecting, is sometimes used to signify the thing hoped for ; so
calling and election here do not mean so much, if at all, the
being called, the being elected, as the glorious state of holy
happiness to which Christians are called and chosen, and that
for a Christian to " give diligence to make sure his calling and
election," is jvist an expression synon^anous with " to seek for
glory, honour, and immortality" — to endeavour to obtain per-
sonal possession of " the salvation that is in Christ, with
eternal glor}^," to which they have been called — to " lay hold
on the eternal life" to which they have been chosen.
This is, however, an unwarranted interpretation, not only
of the words " calling " and " election," but also of the ex-
pression " make sure,^'' which does not mean to secure some-
SECT. 11.] THE DUTY RECOMMENDED. 53
thing future, but to estaLlisli or make sm-e something that is
understood ah'eady to exist. On this principle, it is plain
also, that the words cannot signify, ' Give all diligence to
secure that ye may be called and chosen.' The persons
here addressed had, if their profession was genuine, been
called by a glorious power, and this call was at once the evi-
dence that they had been from eternity elected of God, and
the means by which He had selected them and separated them
from the world.
The question naturally occurs here. How can the calling
and election of such persons be made sure ? The calling
and the election, supposing them really to have taken place,
are as sm-e as they can be. This calling is without repent-
ance : " The pm-pose of God, according to election, stands."
Whom God thus calls and chooses, He never rejects. The
maldng sure refers not to the existence but to the evidence,
of the facts referred to. For a Christian to " make his calling
and election sm'e," is to aflPord satisfactory evidence that he
has been called and elected. The meanincp is, ' Seek dili-
gently to make it evident, both to yourselves and others,
that you are indeed called and elected.' The force of the
expression before us is illustrated by a phrase in the 19th
verse of this chapter : " We have a more sure word of pro-
phecy," or rather, as I shall endea^^our to show, by and by,
' We have the word of prophecy more confirmed.' The
word of prophecy in itself, could never become surer. Its
certainty rests on the immutability and veracity of God ;
but the truth of the word of prophecy was more confirmed ;
that is, they who lived in the times of the apostles, when so
many of its strangest declarations were accomplished, had
stronger evidence of its being sure than they who lived at
a period when almost all prophecy Avas unfulfilled prophecy.
There are two men, both of them called and chosen ; their
calling and election are equally sure, in the sense that it
is certain they are so called and chosen ; but the one man
may not be sure whether he is called and chosen or not, and
be full of doubts and fears ; the other may be satisfactorily
54 THE ArOSTLE'8 EXIKJKTATIOX. [I'AKT I.
convinced that lie is called and chosen, and have abundant
consolation and good hope. All who know them may stand
in doubt in reference to the one, and have no doubt at all
about the other. The apostle's injunction on Christians is,
that they should be diligent in endeavouring to secm'e that
which will afford satisfactory evidence, to themselves and to
others, that they are indeed the called and the chosen of
God.
It is necessary that those who profess to be " called and
chosen," should inquire whether they are so indeed ; for many
suppose themselves called and chosen who have no satisfac-
tory evidence that they are — nay, who have abundant and most
satisfactory evidence, if they would but attend to it, that they
are not. Because they hear what they think is the Gospel,
and what may very possibly be the Gospel, they think they
are among the called ; and because they are members of a
society wdiich is called a Christian church, and very probably
may be so, they think they are among the chosen, the selected
ones, Avhile their whole temper and behaviour make it evi-
dent that, if the call of the Gospel has come to them, it never
has come with power — that they are yet in ignorance, error,
unbeliefj and disobedience — and that, if they are nominally
among the " children of God," they are in reality among "the
children of the wdcked one."
A mistake here must be dangerous, and, if persevered in,
fatal. He who thinks himself called when in reality he is
not, is in far greater danger of never being called than he
who is quite conscious that he is an entire stranger to what
is termed the Christian calling, and quite careless about
it. He who thinks he is among the chosen ones, when
in reality he is not, is less likely ever to be among them
than he who is quite aware that he is entirely of the world,
and has no claim, as he has no desire, to be classed among
Christians. Hypocrites and self-deceivers are in the most
hazardous circiimstances of any class of men — "Publicans
and harlots enter into the kingdom of God before them ;"
and wherever a profession is made, men slioidd give dili-
SECT. II.] THE DUTY KECOMMENDED. 5
DO
gence to make the calling and the election they lay claim
to sure, lest they be fomid at last to have been hypocrites
or self-deceivers. The result of seeking after evidence may
be, in very many cases would be, that no satisfactory evidence
of calling and election exists. So far from their calling and
election being established, what they supposed to be so would
turn out to be pretence and delusion. This is painful ; but
is it not much better to be made aware of this now than to
dream on till they wake in hell ? The blessings they sup-
posed themselves possessed of are yet within reach ; and, if
honestly sought for, tvill assuredly be found. If the delusion
continue, they Avill never be found, for they never will be
sought for.
If it be good for the hypocrite and selt-deceiver to know
that they are hypocrites and self-deceivers, it is good for the
genuine Christian to know that he is not a hypocrite or self-
deceiver. It is good for him to have his calling and election
made sure to himself — to know what, by the grace of God,
he really is. It promotes his comfort, it promotes his holiness.
A Christian in doubt about his calling and election must be
unhappy. On the other hand, an inward, well-grounded
conviction, that he is among the " called and chosen " who
form the Lamb's army, must be productive of inward satis-
faction and peace.
It sanctifies as Avell as solaces the mind. It gives definite
direction and increased ardour to gratitude for heavenly and
spiritual blessings. How can a man very strongly feel, or
very intelligibly express, gratitude for blessings which he is
not sure whether he possesses or not ? It increases hope, not
by giving it a new basis, but by showing that we are indeed
resting on the only sure foundation. It makes us, with en-
larged hearts, run in the way of God's commandments. How
closely connected is our sanctification with the having oiu' call-
ing and election made sure, must be obvious, when we consider
that it is only in the degree in which we understand and believe
the Gospel, and live under its influence, that we can be assured
of our calling and election. Every satisfactory proof of these is
56 THE AroSTLK's KXIK )KTAri()X. [rAKT T.
the exercise of some holy principle, the discharge of some com-
manded duty. The Christian, as will come out more fully in
a subsequent part of our discussions, cannot grow in well-
grounded assurance of his calling and election, except by
growing in knowledge, faith, and holiness ; and Avlien he does
thus grow, his calling and election are assui'ed to him, without
his making them the subject of direct and anxious inquiry.
He cannot doubt, if he would.
While it is of great importance to every one who professes
to have been called and chosen to know whether this professed
calling and election can be established, confirmed, made sure,
by satisfactory, appropriate eA'idence ; while it is of great im-
portance to tlije true Christian to have the calling and election
he has obtained from God so confirmed to him by satisfactory
and appropriate evidence as that he cannot doubt of them ;
it is also of great importance to the unbelieving world that
the calling and election of Christians should be made sure,
or confirmed, by such evidence as it is capable of forming
a judgment about, and being impressed wdth. The world
does not believe either in the callino- or the election of Chris-
tians. To it these are mere cant terms, to which it attaches
no very definite meaning. But it understands well enough
that Christians profess to have been led, by a divine influence,
to embrace certain views, and prosecute certain oljjects —
views and objects which necessitate their separation from the
great body of their fellow-men in a variety of respects, and
form them to a character, and bind them to a line of conduct,
different from the " course of the world ;" and when the
world sees men laying claim to the Christian name, no better
— it may be, in some respects, worse, than those who make no
such claims, it naturally enough comes to the conclusion that
either these men are h}"]^)ocrites, or, if not, Christianity is but
a name.
But when Christians "' make their calling and election
sure," by "a conversation becoming the Gospel;" when worldly
men see Christians acting a part which they cannot help ap-
proving, and even admiring — a ]xtrt, tliey know well, f/ieir
SECT. II.] THE DUTV RECOMMENDED. 57
principles could never enable them to act — discovering a
patience and fortitude under suflfering, a meekness amid pro-
vocation, incorruptible integrity in spite of the strongest
temptations, self-sacrifice in the cause of humanity ; — they are
constrained to say, not only that these are wonderful people,
but that these strange effects must have an adequate cause.
There is such a thing as Christian principle ; it is a powerful
thing ; and the effect in every such case should be — in many
cases is — the conclusion, ' God is with these men of a truth ;
that must be good which produces such good effects.' Oh,
what have professed — nay real Christians to answer for, in
reference to the unbelief and destruction of worldly men, in
consequence of their not making " their calling and election
sure ;" in consequence of their not manifesting the dispositions,
and following the conduct, which would constrain the world
to say, ' These are Christians ; and if these are Christians
who are ever telling us that they are by no means so good as
their religion is, what must Christianity be?' Thus, reproach
is borne down, infidelity disarmed, the ignorance of foolish
men put to shame, and men constrained to " glorify God in
the day of visitation."
/ Thus to "make their calling and election sure," Christians
/ must give " all diligence." The object to be gained deserves
diligence ; it cannot be gained without diligence ; and with
diligence, properly directed as to its end, and properly guided
in its movements, it will assuredly be gained.
The ascertaining, then, our " calling and election," both to
ourselves and to others — the proving it to be something more
than an abstraction and a name ; the making evident that we
are called by a glorious power to be a peculiar people — is the
duty which the apostle here enjoins. To perform it, there
must evidently be a distinct apprehension of what our Chris-
tian calling and election are, and satisfactory evidence af-
forded that calling and election are realities — realities in us.
It is of infinite importance that every man professing to 1)e
called and chosen should make sure whether he be so or not.
It is of the highest importance, both to themselves and to the
oS THE apostle's EXIIOKTATIO.X. [I'AKT I.
Avorld, that they who are really calletl and chosen should give
full proof of their calling and election.
§ 3. HOW ? THE MANNER IN WHICH THE DUTY ENJOINED
IS TO BE DONE BY THE PERSONS ADDRESSED.
But hoio are they to do so ? This forms the third of the
questions which must be put and answered, in order to our
miderstanding the text, and deriving from it those practical
advantages which it, when rightly understood, is calculated to
communicate. Hotv are Christians to make their callino- and
election sure ? The general answer is, by " giving diligence "
— by earnestly and assiduously using the appropriate means.
But what are these means ?
Are we to be diligent in seeking to lay hold on the records
of the eternal counsels, and secret operations of God on
the minds and hearts of men, that we may peruse it for
oui'selves and expose it to the view of the world, and say,
' there is the register of the time and date of my conversion,'
and 'there is my name written among "them who shall be
the heirs of salvation" by the hand of God, before the founda-
tion of the world?' "All diligence" employed in such a
search would be worse than lost. It is not in this way
that any man can " read his title clear to mansions in the
skies." To expect to have our calling and election made
sure, in any way analogous to this — such as a conviction
darted into the mind as by immediate revelation — is deplorable
delusion.
Are we, then, to be diligent in scrutinizing the state of our
own minds and hearts, that we may find there what will
make our "callino; and election sure?" I would not wish to
say a single word in disparagement of self-examination, an
exercise so plainly commanded in Scripture, and so obviously
fitted to serve many important purposes, especially as it is
an exercise to which those who need it most are so strongly
disinclined. But, I must say, that Ave sadly mistake, when
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF CO.^IPLYIXG WITH IT. 50
we go to tlie vitterances of our conscience for a ground of
hope. If the heart is at all honest, its declaration will be,
' I condemn you ; if you wish a ground of hope, you must
seek it elsewhere.'
And, even to serve as a source of evidence that Ave are
called and chosen, self-examination requires to be cautiously
conducted ; for, to the person ignorant of what is implied in
being called and chosen, and unaware of the deceitfiilness of
the heart, such self-examination as he is likely to institute
will end in a self-flattering verdict, saying that all is safe where
there is no safety ; all is right where all is wrong ; " peace,
peace, where there is no peace." And, on the other hand, to
the man who has such views on these subjects as the Scrip-
tures, carried home by the Spirit, produce — if the faith of the
truth respecting the fi^ee grace of God and the Saviour's
finished work and the Spirit's all-powerful energy, is under
a temporary eclipse — self-examination, however honest and
thorough, is likely to increase, rather than diminish, doubt
and perplexity ; and just so much the more likely to produce
such an effect, the more honest and thorough it is. The
more diligently we dig into our own hearts, the less sure do
our callino; and election seem to become. Tliorou"li self-
examination is of great use as a means to prevent our forming
a too favourable view of our own state and character, and,
by shewing us what is wanting and \\hat is wrong, to lead
us to use the appropriate means for having the former sup-
plied, and the latter corrected. But not only are we wrong,
utterly wrong, when we seek to discover in ourselves some-
thing on which we may rest our hope of pardon ; we are
wrong, too, when we seek solely or chiefly, in the state of our
minds and hearts, at the time of self-inquiiy, the evidence
that we have been pardoned — called — chosen. As the
glorious finished work of Christ is the only ground of hope,
the best evidence that I am resting on it, is not the recol-
lected, but the present faith of that truth — and that present
faith, manifesting its existence and power in working l)y
love, purifying the heart, overcoming the world. It is by
GO THE AruSTLli's EXHOKTATION. [i'AKT I.
following out the faith of the Gospel to its natui'al results on
the mind, the heart, and the conduct — the giving ourselves
up to its influence, that we are sanctified, and made to know
that we are sanctified ; it is thus that " we make oiu' calling
and election sure."
The doctrine of the apostle seems to be — we are to " give
all diligence to add to our faith, virtue ; to vu'tue, knowdedge ;
to knowledge, temperance ; to temperance, patience ; to
patience, godliness ; to godliness, brotherly-kindness ; to
brotherly-kindness, charity" — it is by being thus diligent that
we are to make our " calling and election sure" — afibrd
satisfactory evidence both to ourselves and others, that we
have been called and selected by God.^
These words contain a very condensed, yet a very com-
prehensive, summary of Christian morals, exhibiting in a
strildng point of view that character of connection, consistency,
symmetry, and completeness, by which the morality of the
Bible is so palpably and so favoui'ably distinguished from
the morality taught in the schools of heathen philosophy, and
exemplified in the characters of the heroes and sages of ancient
Greece and Rome. The heathen morality is not based on
sound principles, and in its details there is much wanting and
much wrong. It errs equally by defect and excess, so that
the best portions of it have been justly enough termed,
"glittering fi'agments," and "splendid enormities."^ It j)re-
' Bishop "Warburton has an ingenious discourse on the 5th, 6th, and 7tli
verses of this chapter, but like many or most of that prelate's disquisitions,
it is more ingenious than satisfactory. Dr Henry More, the English
Platonist, has, in his Theological Works, p. 262, etc., a discussion on the
subject, worth reading. J\Ir Binney's remarks, in his Tower Sermons, and
those of Dr Williams, an American divine, in an exposition of the whole
paragraph, also deserve to be consulted. There are also some fine
remarks on the paragraph in Isaac Taylor's Saturday Evening, though
many of them have the same fault as Bishop "\^^arburton's, over ingenuity.
Of all these I have made use, in my attempt to bring out the true and full
meaning of a paragraph, of which Beza says well, '* Est autem insignis hie
locus, si quis alius, ver?e Christiana; vit?e summam prtebens."
- Isaac Tavlor.
SECT. Iir,] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. Gl
sents rather the materials of a system, than a system itself
solidly founded and fitly framed ; and when the attemj^t is made
to construct such a system out of these materials, they are found
not to suit each other — they will not dovetail into each other
— they will not cohere — the foundation is sometimes too wdde,
sometimes too narrow, and the result is a structure destitute
of proportion, strength and stability. However grand and
beautiful detached portions of the building may be, there is a
general want of congruity, and it is fomid, in a great measure,
if not entu-ely, unfit for the purpose for which it is professedly
raised — the right regulation of the dispositions and conduct
of men.
It is altogether otherwise with the morality of divine revela-
tion, especially in the completed form which it wears in the
New Testament. The morality of the New^ Testament is
based on such wide and accurate views, in reference to the
constitution and relations of man, as naturally to suggest,
when you take into consideration the circumstances of the
sacred writers, strong corroborative evidence of the super-
human origin of the books in wdiich it is unfolded. How else
should Peter, and James, and John, Galilean fishermen, rise
as moralists so far above the profoundest thinkers among the
Greeks and Romans ? How is it that Jews — ^in many cases
unlettered Jews — have given to the world the only complete
and consistent system of morals it has ever seen 1 No well
informed man can deny the premises in this argument, and
it is diflicult to perceive how he can escape from the con-
clusion.
Of those qualities in the morality of the New Testament, to
which we have adverted, the passage before us furnishes us
w^ith a striking illustration. At first sight, the enumeration
of those mental dispositions and habits, contained in these
verses, may seem a " merely vague and fortuitous congeries
of moral qualities," — some of them not very clearly or com-
pletely distinct from others, and not so arranged as to
indicate any mutual relation to each other. This impres-
sion, however, is caused in a great measure by the looseness
62 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
of our English translation, wliicli, certainly, in more than one
instance, but imperfectly brings out the sense of the apostle.
For, first, the term rendered " add,''' has a Avider and more dis-
tinctive meaning than our word, properly signif^dng ' to bring-
together — into proper combination and correspondence.' It
indicates not merely the adding the quality spoken of, to that
immediately preceding, as unconnected items ; but the com-
mixture of the whole as a set of ingredients, all of which are
necessary^ to the production of the desired result — the making
Christian " callino; and election sure," in the realization of the
virtues of the Christian character, and the performance of the
duties of the Christian life. The phraseology would have
suited the making up of a medicine composed of various articles,
the efficacy of which, as a remedy, depended on these com-
ponent ingi'edients being duly proportioned and intimately
combined. Then, the word rendered "A-irtue" means, not
moral excellence in general, but energ\^, courage ; the word
rendered "temperance" means, not merely moderation in the
indulgence of the appetites, but self-command ; and the word
rendered " charity" means, neither almsmvinfr nor love in the
oddest sense, but universal benevolence, as contra-distin-
guished fi'om " brotherly-kindness."
Something approaching to the view of Christian morals,
in their mutual connection and completeness, exhiliited by the
apostle here, may, perhaps, be thus given in a brief para-
phrase on his words — '■ Having believed the Gospel (for the
apostle presumes they all had faith), see that under its influ-
ence you display that energy which is necessary to its open,
fearless profession — to the discharge of the numerous and
difficult duties which grow out of it — and to the endurance of
the varied and severe trials to Avhich vour attachment to it
may expose you; and see, too, that this energy, based on
faith, be regulated bv a Avise use of Avide and enlightened aucavs
of A\diat is true, and right, and becommg; see that, as your
faith is not pusillanimous, your energy be not rash and ill-
directed ; and let this character of energetic, enlightened faith
manifest itself in the manner in aaIhcIi you conduct yourselves
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. ()3
in reference to the good and evil of the present state — producino-
self-possession, self-mastery — at once making you moderate in
all your affections and pursuits, in reference to its enjoyments ;
preventing the world from lording it over you, and renderino-
you superior to its disordering influences ; and preserving you
from succumbing under the pressure of its afflictions. Farther,
let that connection with God, with which your faith makes
3"ou acquainted, have its due, i.e. a supreme and constant
influence over your minds. Cultivate communion with God
in all appropriate and appointed methods, and let all your
virtues, all your duties, have a decidedly religious char-
acter. Whatsoever you do, do it as to God and not to man.
But let not your piety be ascetic or unsocial. You are con-
nected with your fellow-men — specially with those who are
yom' fellow-Christians standing in the same spiritvial relation
to God as you do, love them as brethren— cultivate and manifest
a peculiar afl^ection to them. But forget not that you are also
connected Avith all mankind — that you are citizens of the
world as Avell as members of the Chvu'ch ; and cultivate and
manifest a benevolent affection to every human being, so that
you may " do good to all men as you have opportunity," Avhile
you do good specially "to those who are of the household
of faith.'"
This is Christian character, this is Christian conduct, and
it is by cultivating the one, and exemplifying the other, that
the Christian calling, and the Christian election, are to be
made sure. How complete ! how symmetrical ! is this view
of human duty. Everything is here, and in the right place
and order. First comers an energetic, enlightened faith in
God — tlie grand principle of conduct ; then personal virtue,
consisting in temperance and patience, enlivened and sus-
tained by godliness ; then social virtue, first, in reference
to fellow-Christians — "brotherly-kindness;" second, in refer-
ence to mankind at large — " charity." " Such is the edifice
which," to use the words of an accomplished preacher, to
whom I feel indebted for giving gi'eater consistency and com-
pleteness to the view I had formed on this passage, "every
(54 THE apostle's exhortation. [paet I.
iiulividual Cliristian, as a wise, diligent, and honest workman,
is to build on the foundation of the common faith — faith like
precious with that of the apostles." "The series begins in
faith and ends in love ; it touches at the one extremity all
that is revealed of God and the infinite ; and on the other, all
that belongs to the world and man — while between the two
are placed, in their order, whatever can be requu'ed for prac-
tical goodness, for the various utterances of a manifold virtue,
for the personal and relative, the active and the passive, the
divine and the human." ^
^Yhat is the only safe ground of a sinner's hope ? How
does that only safe ground become the ground of my hope ?
And how am I to know that that only safe ground has become,
and continues to be, the gromid of my hope, so that I may
be assui'ed that my hope is not the " hope of the hj^ocrite,"
that " shall perish," but " the hope that maketh not ashamed ? "
These are three questions to which it deeply concerns every man
to seek for satisfactory answers. Each has its own answer, and
it is dangerous to mistake the answer of one of them, for the
answer of either of the others. The only safe ground of the
sinner's hope is the sovereign mercy of God, exercised in
consistency A\'ith His righteousness, through the atoning sacri-
fice of His Son, made known to us in the Gospel revelation.
The only way in which this only safe ground of hope can
become the ground of my hope, is by my believing the word
of the truth of the Gospel ; and the only way in which I can
obtain j^ermanent, satisfactory evidence, that the only safe
ground of hope has become the ground of my hope, is by
continuing to believe the Gospel, and by living under the
infliience of the Gospel believed.
The fifth, sixth, and seventh verses of this chapter may be
considered as the apostle's answer to the thu'd question. These
words are his du^ectory to believers how to " make their calling
and their election sure." It is as if he had said, ' Ye have
" obtained like precious faith" with us, the apostles. Holdfast
^ Binney.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. G5
tlvdt faith, nothing can be done witliont it; and "add to that
faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to Icnowledge,
temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience,
godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness ; and to bro-
therly-kindness, charity." Thus, and thus only, will you
" make your calling and election sure ;" thus you shall " never
fall, but have ministered to you an abundant entrance into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." '
The sum of this statement is, ' If you would jirove to yom'-
selves or others that ye are the called and elected of God, be,
and do, what the called and elected of God are called and
elected to be and do. If you would know that you are
Christians — be Christians.' In these words he shows what the
called and elected of God are called and elected to be and do.
He gives us a very brief, and yet a very complete view of
Christian disposition and conduct, and suggests much import-
ant instruction to the individual believer, as to how he is to
realize these In his own experience.
Let U.S briefly examine this more excellent way of obtaining
and retaining satisfaction respecting the reality of our " calling
and election."
1. Bi/ adding to faith, virtue.
First, — That their calling and election may be made sure.
Christians are to add to their faith virtue. It has struck
some people as strange that faith is not only not enjoined
here in the first place, but not enjoined at all. This wonder,
however, is an ignorant wonder. It arises from not noticing
who the persons are whom the apostle is addressing, and
what the purpose is which he has in view. He is not ad-
dressing unbelieving men. Had he been doing so, his first,
almost his sole exhortation to them would have been, " Re-
pent, and believe the Gospel." He is not pointing out to a
perishing sinner the way of salvation ; in that case, he would
have said, " Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world ;" look to Him and be saved. He is
addressing believers — men who had " obtained like precious
E
G() THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PAHT I.
faith" with himself — men who had a knowledge of " the
I'ighteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ," i.e. the
method of justification by Him ; and his object is to point out
to such persons the best way of proving^ both to others and to
themselves, that they were the called and chosen of God.
He takes for granted that they have faith. They could
not ha^e been what he assumes them to be, without faith. I
have already explained, at some length, what is the faith of
which the ajx)stle speaks — faith like precious with that of the
apostles — the faith of the same truth which the apostles be-
lieved, received on the same evidence on which the apostles
received it, and producing on them the same blessed effects
that it did on the apostles. They are not exhorted to have
tliis faith, or to add it to anything else. They have it, but
they are to take care that the faith they have be the right
faith — the belief of the right truth on the right evidence. If
it he, it is not meant to be alone, it cannot be alone. The
faith that is alone is dead, good for nothing. Our " most
holy faith" is a foundation on which a buikUng must be
erected. A^lierever it is really laid, there is "a grooving unto
an holy temple in the Lord, a habitation of God tlu'ough the
Spirit." Faith is the first step in the road to heaven ; but,
were the believer to stand still and do nothing but believe, do
you think he would ever reach heaven"? If he really believe he
cannot stand still. " Add to faith ^^rtue."
The word translated " add,"^ is a somewhat remarkable
one. It is a scenic word, and denotes the duties of the
person who supplied in proper order everything that was
necessary to give completeness and perfection to a public
entertainment ; the leading idea is, to afford that which is
needed. It is the word used to signif^^- the effect of all the
parts of the body doing each its fiinction, " the whole body
being ininistered to increaseth."^ It is used in the phrase, " he
that ministereth seed to the sower,"'^ — supplying a want, and
thus enablirig him to do his work. Here the idea is, that all
1 i7nxoDy,'/y!cuTi. " Col. ii. 19. " 2 Cur. ix. 10.
SECT. HI.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING AVITH IT. (17
those Christian excellencies go to constitute a Christian char-
acter. It is by being a Christian, that a man is to prove
himself to be one. A man's "calling and election" cannot be
made sure by a faith which is alone ; other Christian, holy
dispositions must be added, and must be exercised and dis-
played in orderly harmonious operation. Do not think that in
seeking " to make yovir calling and election sure," it is enough
to say, I am a believer. I trust you are : but you must add
many things to faith, in order to make your " calling and
election sure " either to yourself or to others ; and, in the
first place, " add to your faith virtue," i.e. ' believe, then
be virtuous.
y Virtue," in our language, is a general name for moral
excellence, and the original term,^ so rendered in the passage
before us, is sometimes used in the same w^ay. Standing,
however, as it does here, contradistinguished from " temper-
ance, patience, godliness, brotherly-kindness, and charity," all
of them " virtues," or particular forms of moral excellence, it
obviously cannot be vmderstood in its general sense. I have
already had occasion to state to you that the word rendered
" virtue," properly signifies energy, and that the phrase " glory
and virtue," is just equivalent to " glorious power — illustrious
energy." I have no doubt the word has the same meaning
here, 'add to faith, energy' — energy manifesting itself in
the active performance of duty, and in bravely meeting the
trials of the Christian life.
The Christian has much to do — much to suffer. His life
is to be spent, not out of the world, but in it, in the midst
of its activities ; and it is expected that in his own sphere
none shall be more active than he. What his hand finds
to do (and it will find much) he must do with all his
might. He is also exposed to numerous temptations amid
which he is to stand fast; and afflictions amid which, in-
stead of becoming weary and faint in his mind, he is to
be patient and even joyful; and without energy, activity,
^ sipST'/l.
QS THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PAIiT T.
fortitude, he cannot perform tliese duties, resist these tempta-
tions, and sustain these afflictions. Any want of, or deficiency
in, cneriry, is a veiy serious defect in a character. It pre-
vents much good, and produces much evih Want of forti-
tude, one fonn of energy, was the main cause wliy many
of the chief rulers Avho believed in Jesus did not confess
Him. They were afi'aid of being put out of the synagogue ;
they loved the approbation of men more than the approba-
tion of God.^ Want of fortitude induced Pilate, in oppo-
sition to the dictates of his conscience, to condeum our Lord
— he feared the Jews. A deficiencv in ener£!y and fortitude
prevents many men fi'om becoming Christians, and it greatly
interferes vsath the consistency, and respectability, and useful-
ness, of those who are Christians. It was the not adding to
faith, virtue, that made Abraham to equivocate so pitifiilly
in Egypt and Gerar, and Peter so shamefully to deny his
Master. Who has not had reason to regret how many oppor-
tunities of doing good, of honouring God, and promoting the
best interests of mankind, he has lost, just for want of a little
more enerev and fortitude? Hom^ often has he done what he
ouo;ht not to have done — what he knew he ouo-ht not to have
done; how often has he not done what he ought to have done —
what he knew that he ought to have done, just because he
did not " add to faith virtue ? "
The force of the apostle's exhortation may be thus given,
— you believe, but you must act and suffer ; and that you
may do either or both to purpose, you must be energetic
and brave, active and courageous. "Add then to faith
virtue." AVork — be strong. Have manly energ}', and let it
be manifested in prompt decision and resolute action. Be-
have like a man who believes, who has a clear, fixed judgment
of what is true and right, and who is determined to fol-
low it to its fair practical results. Do not look as if you were
halting between two opinions. " Be not weary in well-
doino;." Be not " a double-minded man, unstable in all thy
^ Jolin xii. -42, 43.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF OOMrLYING WITH IT. 69
ways." Bear a bold front in opposition to the liazards con-
nected with a consistent Christian profession. Fear not the
worhl — fear not the god of the world — fear only thijie own
God. Sink not under the pressure of affliction. Be strong
to suffer as well as to do.
But how is this energy to be obtained ? It is to be added to
faith. Being believers, be energetic.^ That seems to say that
it cannot exist without faith, and that it is naturally connected
with fiiith. None but a believer can be thus enerijetic and
courageous ; and every believer will be thus energetic and
courageous, according to the measure of his faith. Would
you be delivered from spiritual slothfulness ? would you be
raised above the debilitating, exanimating influence of fear ?
" Believe," " only believe." Let the trvith respecting the holy
benignant character, and the ever-righteous government of
Jehovah, the excellence and authority of His law, the power
and grace of the Saviour, the perfection of His atonement,
the prevalence of His intercession, the power of His Spirit,
the fulness and freeness of His salvation, the certainty of the
general judgment, the righteousness of the sentences to be
then pronounced, and their eventful results in the unmixed
enjoyments or sufferings of eternity — let the truth on these
and similar subjects be habitually before your mind, in its
meaning and evidences : in one word, under the influence of
faith, realize these things so as to look on what is vmseen —
" to see Him that is invisible ;" and active energy, indomi-
table fortitude, will be the necessary result. He only, who is
strong in faith, is strong for work and warfare ; ready to
do and suffer up to his highest capacities of action and en-
dm'ance, whatever God in His word or providence connnands
^ Some expound in tyi TrioTit as=B<«T'^c tt/Vtsi^jj, as if faith were tlie
grand means of supplying energy ; you cannot, however, carry this prin-
ciple through the paragraph, making the exertion of energy the great
means of the supply of knowledge, and the supply of knowledge the great
means of the supply of temperance, etc. 1 rather think the apostle's
meaning is thus brought out — being believers, become energetic — being
energetic, become intelligent — being intelligent, become temperate, etc.
70 THE apostle's exhortatiox. [part t.
liiiii to do, ov appoints liim to suffer. It is by the truth be-
lieved, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, that God (fi'om
whom comes this good gift, and who will give it to every one
that asks, and sheAvs his sincerity in asking, by using the
appointed means of obtaining it) strengthens men, weak
and timid in themselves, Avith all mio;ht accordino; to His
glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joy-
fiilness, so that they are enabled to make their " calling and
election sure," and amid all temptations to walk worthy of the
Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in everv^ good work.
It is thus that " they run and are not Aveaiy, walk and do not
faint," and, like the ancient worthies, who added to faith
energy and coui'age, " through faith subdue the kingdom of
Satan" within them and around them, " work righteousness,
obtain promised blessings, out of weakness become strong, wax
valiant in fight, put to flight the armies of the aliens," and are
finally, "made more than conquerors through Him that loved
them." In thus adding to his faith virtue, the Christian will
" make his calling and election sure" both to himself and others.
The importance of adding to faith virtue — energy, is
strikingly exhibited in the veiy fi'equent repetition in the
Holy Scriptures of the command " Be strong," Only " be
strong," says Moses to the Israelites. " Be thou strong, and
show thyself a man," says David to Solomon, the Lord hath
chosen thee to build a house to His name, " be thou strong
and do it." " Be strong," said the Prophet Azariah to Asa
and his army, " be strong, and let not your hands be weak."
" Be strong," says God by Isaiah to those who are of a fear-
ful heart. " Be strong," says the Prophet Haggai, " O
Zerubabbel ; be strong, O Joshua ; be strong, all ye people
of the land." " Quit you like men, be strong ; be strono; in
the Lord, and in the power of His might;" "be strong in
the grace of our Lord Jesus," says the Apostle Paul.
The subject we have been considering is one of dec])
importance, and ought to be one of deep interest to us all.
There are many men — reader, art thou one of them ? — Avho
ixive themselves no trouble about " calling and election."
SECT. III.] THE MANXEU OF COMl'LVIXG WITH IT. 71
Some of these men have come to the conchision that th.oro
are no such things, that they are the dreams of enthusi-
asm, or the pretences of hypocrisy ; and others, who do not
call in question their existence, are ohviously so entirely
occupied ^vith the pursuits of this world, that they are to them
as non-existent. There is no room, howeyer, for rational
doubt on the subject. That the Bible is the revelation of the
Divine will, is proved by a variety and power of evidence
such as very few propositions of any kind can boast ; and, if it
is so, nothing is more certain than that there is a class of men
called by God through the instrumentality of His word,
by the agency of His Spirit, — out of their natural state of
ignorance, error, guilt, and depravity, into a state in which
they have the true knowledge of God, the enjoyment of His
favour, and an ever-growing conformity to His image, — and
thus distinguished from the rest of mankhid as a selected,
separated, pecidiar people ; and that these, and these alone,
are in a safe state in reference to their highest and eternal
interests. To this class no man naturally belongs ; and he
that is not brought into it must carry into eternity all the
responsibilities connected with that guilt and depravity which,
in our fallen state, are the characteristics of our race — respon-
sibilities which will secure, under the government of a right-
eous God, that his eternity of being shall be an eternity of
complete privation of good, and of suffering up to his capaci-
ties of suffering. Surely if men were not deplorably stupid,
they could not continue either careless or doubtful whether
they have been brought into this privileged class. There are
many who are far too easily satisfied on this question, and on
iiTounds which will not bear half-an-hour's serious self-examiua-
tion — far less the scarchinj? of the divine tribunal— have arrived
at the conclusion that they belong to this clu&s, and who try to
put down the doubts which will, in spite of themselves, arise,
by calling them mibelief : as if to doubt of the safety of our
own state were the same thing as to floubt the truth oi" the
divine testimony. There are others who, though really be-
longing to this class of the called, yet spend their li\es, not in-
72 THE apostle's exhoktation. [part I.
deed without hope, but amid many painful uncertainties,
douhts, and fears, fi-om seeking a kind or degree of evidence of
which the circumstances do not admit. I have endeavoured
distinctly to show how the false hopes of the one, and the false
fears of the other, may be dissipated; audit is much the inter-
est of the one class that they should fear, for till they do so,
they will never have the " hope that maketh not ashamed ;"
and of the other that they should rise above fears which not
only prevent comfort, but impede sanctification. !May God
bless wdiat has been said for chasing some poor sinner out of
his refuge of lies, and preventing him fi-om seeking or finding
peace except in the faith of the Gospel, and the hope of
eternal life through Christ Jesus ; and for leading " the
called and the chosen," who may be walking in darkness and
having no light, to perceive and follow the only course by
means of which they can habitually recognise their own
state and character — the keeping steadily to the King's high-
way of truth and holiness — the moving constantly onwards
and upwards — the " seeking glory, honour, and immortality,"
in an entire dependence on divine grace, and through " a
constant continuance in well-doing."
2. By adding to virtue, knowledge.
Let us now proceed with our illustration : "Add to virtue" —
energy, " knowledge." ^lere energy and courage, though
under the influence of a genuine faith, may be misdirected.
They may lead a man to engage in labours which it would
be wise to leave alone, and to expose himself to dangers and
perplexities which he would do well to aAoid. Misdirected
energy and courage, though springing fi-om a true faith,
may injure the cause which it was meant to support and ex-
tend. It is not enough that exertions should originate in
faith ; it is necessary, also, that they should be cUrected by
knowledge and wisdom. They must be enlightened as well
as honest. Hence, says the apostle, "■ GWe all diligence to
add knowledge " to the energy and courage, which yoii have
added to vour faitli.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 73
By knowledge, some very good interpreters understand
liere an accurate and extensive acquaintance with Christian
truth ; otlicrs understand the term as denoting the wise use
of tliis knowledge — what Ave ordinarily term Christian wisdom
or prudence. The word not unnaturally expresses both these
ideas. Nor am I at all disposed to limit the meaning of the
word to the extensive knowledge, and wise use, of religious
truth properly so called. I would extend it to all kinds
of knowledge within the Christian's reach, which can be
turned to account in the way of improving his own character,
and gaining the great ends of his Christian calling in reference
to the glory of God and the good of the church and the
world. A Christian should be an intelligent, a knowing, a
wise man.
There is no doubt that it is religious knowledge and wdsdom
that he is primarily to seek after, the "knowledge of the Ploly,"
that knowledge of which the Patriarch says, " The fear of the
Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."^
The persons addressed here were not destitvite of this know-
ledge. The faith the apostle speaks of as possessed by them,
was not a blind, implicit belief^ — the believing they knew
not what or wherefore ; they knew " the truth which had
made them free." It could not have made them free if
they had not known it. They understood, they apprehended
the meaning and evidence of the divine testimony, in the be-
lief of which they became Christians. But many a genuine
Christian has very limited views, though they may be clear
and accurate so far as they go, of the subject and evidence of
the Gospel revelation ; and the most accomplished Christian,
so long as he is in this Avorld, has much to learn on these
points. It is the Christian's duty and interest to "follow on
to know the Lord;" to seek that the light kindled in his
mind may not only not be extinguished, but may wax even
brighter and brighter, that he may comprehend more and more
of " the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ,
> Job xxviii. 28.
74 THE apostle's exhortation. [I'AKT I.
in which are hitl all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
When a grown up man, he must not be content to live always
on the food of babes ; when he ceases to be a child, he must
give over understanding and thinking as a child — become
a man, he " must put away childish things." " Leaving
the first principles of the oracles of God, he must go on
to perfection." He must not always be a child, in danger
of being " tossed to and fi'o, and carried about with every v\-ind
of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive," but mider the influence
of the truth well known and firmly believed, mvist " grow up
unto Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." The
doctrine of Christ is the mould in which the new man is to be
fashioned ; and it is by believing knowledge, by intelligent
faith, that the human faculties and susceptibilities, melted by
the fire of Divine influence, are, as it were, poured into this
mould.
Gro^\dng in the knowledge of the truth both doctrinal and
practical, Christians must grow also in the knowledge of tlie
evidence on which it rests ; both the evidence that the Bible
is a divine revelation, and that the principles they hold are
to be found in that revelation in the form in which they
hold them. It will increase as well as reo;ulate eneriiv
and courage, if we know, as Luke says, " the certainty of
the things wdierein we have been instructed." It is an en-
lightened faith which produces that steady, principled courage
by which alone the world can be overcome. Christians shoidd
make such progress in the knowledge of divine truth that, in
the course of time, they should be qualified to be teachers :
"a ffuide of the blind, a lioht of them who are in darkness;"
and it is hiohly discreditable to them, and very likelv to make
their "calling and election" the reverse of sure, both to them-
selves and to others, if, when that time comes, they are found
still to " have need that some one teach them what be the first
principles of the oracles of God."
Nor should Christians content themselves with accurate and
extensive views of di^ ine truth, and its evidences, as revealed
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING AVITJI IT. 75
in the Scriptm'es. Tliey should seek, so far as circumstances
Avill admit, to be well informed, intelligent men. It is a
very false system of Christianity — it is anti-christianity —
that gave origin to the maxim — ' Ignorance is the mother of
devotion.' Real Christianitv and real knowledge in all its
forms are mutual friends. There is no field of knowledge —
whether history, or literature, or science — from which a
Christian may not derive advantage. The works of God
throw light on the word of God. And all His Avorks are
worthy of being inquired into, " sought out of all those who
have pleasure in them."
The Christian who continues ill-informed — mis-informed —
on such subjects, when he has the means of information,
injures himself, and strengthens against religion the preju-
dices of those classes of worldly men, who are well-informed
on those matters. It has been justly, as well as finely said,
by an American divine, " We improve ourselves, and bless
our race, and glonfy our Redeemer, when we stri^^e to wreathe
every discovery and every invention, all art and all science,
into harmonious and devout subordination, around that re-
deeming Cross, whence radiates the world's chiefest wisdom,
and its only hope of everlasting life." ^
Tlie Bible cautions not against science, but ao-ainst " science
falsely so called;" not against knowledge of any kind, but
that which, with a show of knowledge, is ignorance and error ;
not against philosophy — the love of wisdom, but against that
vain deceitftil thing which assumes its name ; not against
instruction, but only against "the instruction that cau.seth to
err from the words of knowledge."
But Christians should cultivate knowledge in its true
extent — not only in its principles, but in its uses ; they should
seek to have their spiritual senses so exercised about the sub-
jects of knowledge, that they shall discern the things tlint
(lifter, or approve those things that are excellent — making a
distinction not onl}^ between what is true and Avhat is false,
' Williams.
76 THE apostle's exhortation. [part t.
but also between what is ri<>lit and wronij — what is becominji
and unbeconiing — what is advantageous and hurtful.
They shovdd learn to turn their knowledge to practical
purposes. Christians should be ivise as well as knoicing.
Some know much, who have very little wisdom; and some
are wise, who have not very much knowledge ; for,
" Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one,
Have ofttiraes no connection." ^
As the A})ostle Paul says, they should not be " unwise, but
imderstanding what the will of the Lord is." They should
"Avalk circumspectly, not as fools but as Avise;" "walk in
wisdom towards them that are without : redeeming the time."
They should be like the wise man of whom Solomon speaks,
whose eves are "in his head;" and thev should take the
advice, " Let thine eyes look right on, and thine eyelids look
straight before thee ; keep sound judgment and discretion : so
shall they be life unto thy soid, and grace to thy neck. Then
shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not
stumble ; when thou liest down thou wilt not be afraid : yea,
thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet."
This practical knowledge, this turning of all we know
to its appropriate use — which is of very high importance
in the Christian life — requires habitual consideration. It
requires a man to be looking constantly both inward
into his own heart, and outward to the chiu'ch and world
around him ; and both in his looking inward and outward, to
look at everything in the light of God's word. Without a
growing knowledge both of the world and of ourselves, as well
as of oiu' Bibles, we will make little progress in gaining the
great ends of our Christian calling, either to ourselves or to
others. We must seek after " the wisdom of the prudent,"
which consists in understanding his way. We must study
character and condition — our own and those of other men.
We must consider om' capacities and opportunities, ascertain
oiu' duties, and take heed that they be riglitly performed ;
^ Cowper.
SECT. HI.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 77
and we must think of our weaknesses, temptations, and
dangers, that we may be duly watchful and reliant. We
must distinguish time, place, and circumstances. We must
know the peciiliar character of the times we live in — mai'k
events as they arise, and be ready to do what is requisite at
the proper season and in the proper way.^
There is a peculiar propriety in the place assigned by the
apostle to " knowledge," in his enumeration of the attainments
he calls on Christians to make, in order that their calling
and election may be made sure — " add to faith virtue," energy,
courage ; and to courage, " knowledge." " Strength and force,
resolute purpose and daring energy, require to be presided
o^-er, and directed by large knowledge."^ How much harm
is done, when good men prove themselves, as they often do,
more forward than -wise ! Without appropriate knowledge,
without due consideration, a man with the best intentions,
may do evil rather than good ; and after running himself
out of breath, find that it would have been his strencrth, his
duty and interest, to have stood still. His too rapid course
may be but a succession of blunders and failures. Courage
inspired by faith supplies the impulse, but this impulse must
be directed and guided by wisdom, else we are likely to
" labour in vain, and spend our strength for nought." Without
knowledge, courage becomes rashness ; and a blind energy is
not likely to do much good, and may possibly do much evil.
The injunction now under consideration — like all the moral
injunctions of the New Testament — is for all places and for
all time ; but it is peculiarly seasonable in our country and
in our times. Highly excited energy — restless activity — both
in reference to secular and religious subjects, is a leading char-
acter of our age. When a strong gale, though, on the whole,
tavovu'able, fills the sails, the pilot's eye must be steady on
the compass and his hand firm on the helm. When the steam
is up, there is need of science and caution in directing and
guidino; the engine. It has often been more necessary than
in our own times, to say to Christians, "add to your faith"
1 Jay. ^ Binney.
78 THE apostle's exhoutation. [part I.
energy — but nc\X'r was it more necessary to proclaim to
Christians, "add to your energy — knowledge." This alone
can prevent your wasting, or worse than wasting, your
energy ; this alone can secure the important objects which
that enero;v rightly directed, is suited and intended to secure.
Had all the energy, which has been put forth within this
last half centiuT, been Avisely directed as to its objects, and
wisely regulated as to its measure, the Church and the Avorld
would have been in better circumstances than they are. Had
all the energies of Christian individuals and Christian bodies,
instead of being directed to different — often very subordinate
and even doubtftil objects, and put forth in opposition to each
other — been not fitfully, but steadily and wisely directed to
great common objects — how much evil might have been
prevented — how much good might have been effected? I
conclude the illustration of this part of the subject, in the
words of a distinguished living preacher, " By the union of
energy and wisdom standing together on the basis of faith,
there will come to be within the Christian man, the har-
monious co-operation of great powers, principles, and habits ;
high aims, true thoughts, sound judgment, rectitude of pm-
pose, strong impulse, practicable plan, indomitable persever-
ance, tact to discern time and opportunity — all issuing in a
wise and intelligent coui'se of action, fruitful in noble deeds,
and crowaied with frequent success."^ And what may not,
under God's blessing, be expected from the united efforts of
multitudes of such men — all acting under the guidance of a
wise mind, and the impulse of a strong heart ?
In these two injunctions, which I have attempted to illus-
trate, " add to your faith, virtue — energy ; and to energy,
knowledge" — viewed in connection with the injunction, " give
diligence to make your calling and election sure" — we are pre-
sented with this great truth, that it is by faith putting forth
a powerful influence, and by that powerful influence being
directed as to its objects, and guided in its operations by ever-
oTowino- knowledo;e, and habituallv considerate wisdom, that
1 Binnej.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 79
Christiaiis are to afford satisfactory evidence to themselves
and others, that they are indeed the called and chosen of
God.
I conclude these explicatory remarks with the exhortation
of the Apostle Peter, " Grow in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ ; " and with the prayer of the
Apostle Paul, " May your love abound yet more and more in
all knowledge, and in all judgment : that ye may approve the
things that are excellent ; that ye may be sincere and without
offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of
righteousness which are by Christ Jesus, to the praise and
glory of God." " May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him : the eyes of your under-
standing being enlightened, that ye may know what is the
hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness
of His power, toward them who believe ; — that you may be able
to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, and height, and to know the love of God which
passeth knowledge." Thus may you know the Lord, and
follow on to know Him. " Now unto Him who is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ac-
cording to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory
in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen."
3. By adding to hiowledge temperance.
The apostle's third direction to the Christian, as to Iwio he was
to make his " calling and election sure," is — " Add to know-
ledge temperance." Temperance, according to the current
use of the English language, signifies freedom from excess in
the gratification of the appetites, those principles of our nature
which we possess in common with the lower animals, the
humblest part of our complex constitution. It is opposed to
all epicurism, gluttony, drunkenness, and incontinence. The
temperate man abstains from all forbidden, sensual pleasures,
80 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART I.
and is moderate in the use of even laAvfal enjoyments of this
kind. Christians are required to be thus strictly temperate.
They are forbidden to " make provision for the flesh to fulfil
the lusts thereof." They are commanded by their Master to
" take heed lest their hearts be overcharged with siu'feitino;
and drmikenness." " Be not filled with wine," says the
Apostle Paul, " wherein is excess." " Walk honestly" — re-
spectably— " in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in
chambering and wantonness." " Mortify your members which
are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, and inordinate
affection." " The time past of our life," says the Apostle
Peter, referring to the unconverted state of those to whom he
wrote, " may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gen-
tiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine,
revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries." One of
the veiy first things, which ^' the grace of God, that bringeth
salvation to all," teaches those who receive it in truth is, " to
deny worldly lusts" and " to live soberly."
This species of temperance, however, can go but a short
way, or rather no way at all, towards making a man's " calling
and election sure." Habitual intemperance, in any of its forms,
clearly proves that a man has not been called of God. Even
occasional acts of intemperance, must make a man's call-
ing very doubtful to himself as well as to others. But the
strictest temperance is no proof of conversion. It may, it
often does, originate in bodily constitution, in education, in
natural good sense, in a clear apprehension of, and delicate sen-
sibility to what is decent and honest, becoming and honourable
in moral feeling and conduct, without any reference whatever
to religious principle. The want of it degrades a man almost
to the level of the brutes, or even below that level ; but the
presence of it, even in its most perfect form, by no means
gives a man ground to conclude that he has a place among
" the called and chosen."
The word " temperance,"^ here and in the New Testament
^ lyKpocnixv.
SECT. III.] THE MALTSTER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 81
generally, includes this, and a great deal more. It has a
deeper root, and a much wider sphere of influence. The word
properly signifies '' self-command," and denotes the right state
of the mind, heart, and life, in reference to those objects in the
world which naturally call forth our desires, whether it be
pleasure, profit, power, or reputation. It is just another word
for moderation or self-control, and is descripti^-e of the right
state of the thoughts, affections, and behaviour, in reference
to " things seen and temporal."
The foundation of temperance, in this extensive sense, lies
in the just estimate which the faith of Christian truth leads a
man to form of the intrinsic and comparative value of " all
that is in the world — the kist of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life ;" that is, all that the eye or the flesh
desires, and all of which li\'ing men are apt to he proud. The
Christian does not consider the wealth, the honours, and the
pleasures of the world, as things altogether destitute of value ;
but he sees that that value is by no means so great as the
deluded worshippers of Mammon suppose it to be. He sees,
with equal clearness, that the possession of them cannot make
him hajDpy, nor the want of them make him miserable. They
cannot obtain for him the pardon of his sin ; they cannot
pacify his conscience ; they cannot transform his character ;
they cannot give him strength in weakness, consolation in
sorrow ; they cannot save him from the pit of corruption, or
the deeper pit of perdition ; they cannot give life in death, or
secure happiness for ever ; and the want of them, though it
may — in some cases must — give him severe uneasiness, cannot
deprive him of the favour of God, of the testimony of a good
conscience, or of the hope of glory, honom*, and immortality,
beyond death and the grave. The views which, as a believer,
he has obtained, lead him to look on the prosperities of life
vnih some measiu'e of alarm. They appear to him polluted
with sin, replete with temptation, pregnant of danger to his
highest interests.
With these \aews, he is temperate in all things. " He is tem-
]-)erate in his desires of earthly enjoyments ; not setting his
F
82 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
affections on the things on the earth. He is temperate in his
pursuit of them ; he does not labour so much for the meat
that perisheth, as for that which endureth inito eternal hfe."
He is temperate in his attachment to them, while he enjoys
them ; he does not say, " Soul, take thine ease ; eat, drink,
and be merry ; thou hast goods laid up for many years." He
is temperate in his regrets when he is deprived of them ; he
does not feel as if he had lost his all, or say, " My gods
are taken fi'om me, and what have I more '? " He does not
alloAv his natural desire of such things to interfere with his
convictions and his obligations. He keeps the body, and all
the desires connected with things seen and temporal, in sub-
jection. The world has not dominion over him : he is master
of himself; and, being possessed of a far better inheritance
than it can give him, he does not expect or seek on earth
real, perfect happiness, which he believes to be in heaven and
secured for him there. This is the Christian temperance,
which the apostle says, must be added to an energetic, en-
lightened faith, in order to the making our " calling and our
election sure." It is for those who have earthly relatives to
be as if they had them not ; for those who weep, as though
they wept not ; for those who rejoice, as though they rejoiced
not ; for those who use this world, to use it as not abusing it,
— ^knoAving that " the fashion of this world passeth away." ^
Now, this temperance is to be added to " faith, virtue, and
knowledge." It cannot exist without these ; it naturally re-
sults from them. It is what the Christian believes that
makes him temperate in reference to this world. Never were
there more temperate men, in the sense we have explained,
than the Christian apostles : in the world, they were not of
it. How were they formed to their temperate, their unworldly
character? We sliall allow them to answer the question
themselves. One of them says, "The cross of Christ" —
i.e. the faith of the truth about Christ — has " crucified the
world to me, and me to the world." " This is the victory,"
1 1 Cor. vii. 29-31.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 83
says another, " which overcometh the workl, even oui' faith."
The man who believes that he has an inheritance laid up
for him in heaven — that he is rich in faith — the heir of a
kingdom ; that there is reserved for him a crown of life, and
that rivers of pleasure are aw^aiting him at God's right hand
for ever more — is not likely to be intemperate in his estimates,
desires, attachments, and regrets, in reference to worldly
wealth, honours, or pleasm'es ; especially as he beheves, also,
that an inordinate regard to the latter is inconsistent \nth
the enjoyment of the former.
And it is not a dead faith — it is not merely speculation
about Christian truth which will suffice to produce this tem-
perance ; it must be such a faith as has had energy added to
it. The world has a strong hold on the human heart, and it
requires nothing short of " the power of the world to come"
brought into the heart by believing, to enable the Christian
to keep attachment to it in due subjection.
Moreover, the faith, to which temperance is to be added,
requires to be enlightened as well as energetic. Where know-
ledge has not been added to an energetic faith, a bastard kind of
temperance is in danger of being produced. To escape temp-
tation, an energetic but unenlio-htened faith has led men to
go out of the world, to become hermits and monks ; and avail-
ing themselves of this tendency of unenlightened energy, men
of corrupt minds have " forbidden to marry, and commanded
to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received
with thanksgiving of them that believe and obey the truth ;"
as if " every creatiu'e of God were not good, and any of them to
be refused if it be received vnth thanksgiving : for it is sancti-
tied by the word of God and prayer." Knowledge is profit-
able, even necessary, to direct where, and how, and when, self-
denial is to be exercised ; when pm-suits and pleasures, lawful
in themselves, are to be followed and indulged, and when they
are to be abstained from — when and how the world jnay and
ought to be used without being abused.
The manner in which this temperance — which is just the
opposite to the love of the world — the manner in which this
84 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
disposition, and the conduct to which it naturally leads, make
a Christian's " calling and election sure," is so obvious, that it
does not require more than a word or two to point it out. For
what is the Christian calling ? It is this — " Come out from
among them," that is, from among " the world lying under
the wicked one," " and touch not the unclean thing, and I
will receive you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty." And what is the Christian election ?
' The Saviour has chosen all His people out of the world that
they may be like Him, " not of the world." The man, then,
who makes things seen and temporal the principal subject of
his thoughts and object of his affections — who is not temperate
in the sense we have explained — makes it plain, whatever
profession he may make, that he has not been thus called and
chosen ; he is still of the world. On the other hand, he w hose
faith, energetic and enlightened, is overcoming the world — in
Avhose heart, affections, and pursuits, the world has its proper,
that is, a very subordinate place — has the evidence in himself
that he is among the called and chosen ones, and his unworldly
dispositions and conduct silently, but expressivel}^, confess
before the world that he is a stranger and a pilgrim on the
earth, and plainly declare that he is seeking a better countiy —
that is, an heavenlv.
4. By adding to temperance patience.
But, still farther, lo "make their calling and election
sure," the apostle calls on Christians to " add to temperance
patience."^ It would be a veiy imperfect system of morals
that taught men only how to conduct themselves with regard
to what is naturally desirable. In the world in which we live,
we are siuTounded by evil as well as good, and are called to
suffering as well as, to enjoyment. " Man who is born of
woman is not only of few days, but these few days are full of
trouble." He is " born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward."
^ Abstine et Sustiiie — abstain and sustain — i.e. temperance and patience
were the two words under which the ancient philosophers used to com-
prise all virtue in reference to external things.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 85
He is exposed to varied suffering, both directly from the hand
of God, and from the folly, injustice, and unkindness of
his fellow-men. Pain, poverty, disappointment, bodily dis-
ease in endless forms, mental anxieties and anguish, loss of
property, bereavement of relatives and fi-iends, outraged feel-
ings, a reputation blasted by calumny — these are but a few
in the long catalogue of " the ills that flesh is heir to." These
are trials — experiments. According to the manner in which
they are borne, we may judge of our own character — we may
know whether we are among " the called, chosen, and faith-
ful." If, amid sufferings from the hand of God, we habitually
cherish a stupid insensibility, a sullen unsubmissiveness, or a
proud stubbornness, wdiich will rather be broken than bent,
or a hopeless despondency — if we either despise His chasten-
ing, or faint when we are rebuked of Him ; and if, when
suffering under the hand of man, we are entirely occupied
with the immediate cause of our affliction, and have our minds
filled ^\\\\x feelings of bitter resentment, and revenge — then
it is evident that, Avhatever profession we may make, we
have no " calling nor election to make sure." If w^e would
" make oui* calling and election sure," we must add to our
temperance patience : we must show that as we are not to be
seduced by the blandishments of the present state, so we are
not to be driven by its sufferings, from the prescribed path of
doincr and sufferino; the will of God.
Patience, when distinguished fi^om meekness (which signi-
fies the right way of bearing affliction fit'om men) means the
right way of bearing affliction fi'om God: but when used
singly, as here, it includes both. It is a general name for
the right way of enduring afflictions, from whateA^er quarter
they come. It implies that the suffering is felt — it may be,
very painfully felt — but that it is, at the same time, wilHngly
submitted to and cheerfully and thankfully borne. It has
been justly said, " Patience stands opposed to pride, insensi-
bility, levity and thoughtlessness on the one side, and on the
other to querulousness, discontent, depression and despair."
Patience towards God cannot be better described than in
86 THE apostle's exhort ATiox. [part I.
the words of Ricliard Baxter, who knew well by experience
what it was, few men having had so much to hear, and having
borne it so well : — " True patience," says that singularly good
man, " is when, both body and mind having a natural and
due sense of the suffering, we yet restrain inordinate passion,
grief, fear, or anger, and their ill eifects, especially repining
thoughts or words of God, and use no sinful means for our
deliverance, but still acknowledge the sovereignty, justice,
wisdom, and love of God, and obediently do submit our wills
to God, and ap])rove and love His holiness and justice" mani-
fested in our sufferings, " though we love not suffering itself,
and comfortably hope for a happy issue, even amendment and
increase of holiness here and heaven hereafter, where all our
sufferings will end in everlasting joy : this is patience."
Patience towards man does not imply that we are insensible
to "v^Tongs done us ; nor that we are not displeased at the sin
of those who injure us ; nor that we are not, by proper means,
to defend ourselves against inj^mes threatened, or to seek, by
proper means, redi'ess from injuries inflicted : but it does
imply, that we do not exaggerate the wrong done us ; that we
do not think worse of our injm*er than the facts of the case
absolutely require ; that we do not revenge, or even seek to
revenge, the injury; that we do not seek redress, even by
means in themselves lawful, if the good to be thus gained does
not appear likely to over-balance the evil that may be thus
occasioned.
We are exhorted to the one kind of patience in the words
of the Apostle Peter : " Humble yom-selves under the mighty
hand of God ;" and to the other by the Psalmist, " Fret not
thyself because of evil-doers, cease fi'om anger and forsake
wrath ; fi'et not thyself in any wise to do evil ;" and to both by
the Apostle James — " Let patience have its perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Job
exemplified the one when he said, " Shall we receive good
from the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil ?
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be
the name of the Lord I" — and Eli, when, in reference to the
SECT. III.] THE MAKNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 87
calamities denounced against his family, he said, " It is
the Lord — let Him do what seemeth good in His sight ;"
and Da\'id the other, when he refused to allow Shimei to
be punished, when he cast stones at him and cursed him in
the day of his severe affliction, but calmly said, " Let him
alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. It
may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that
the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day." A
still more illustrious example of both was given by our Lord,
when He said, " The cup which My Father giveth Me to
drink, shall I not drink it f and when " He was reviled, He
reviled not again ; when He suffered. He threatened not ;
but committed His cause to Him that judgeth righteously."
The original term^ used in the passage before us — trans-
lated also "patient continuance," in E,om. ii. 7 — suggests
the idea not only of uncomplaining suffering, but of constancy
and perseverance in the path of duty, notwithstanding all the
sufferings we may be exposed to — neither quarrelling with
God, nor becoming tired of a cause which exposes to priva-
tion or suffering ; but " running with patience^'' ^ that is, con-
tinuing to run the race set before us, however heavy our
biu'den, and however rough or thorny the road.
This patience must be added to " faith, virtue and know-
ledge," that is, to an energetic enlightened faith. Such
patience cannot exist without such a faith ; and in proportion
to the faith will be the patience. It is not without good
reason that the apostle joins faith and patience, and puts faith
before patience, when he represents the inheritors of the pro-
mise as having obtained their goodly heritage " by faith and
patience." It is the believing that the Great Governor of the
world is " God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,"
'"the God of peace," "our God and Father in Christ;" that
all things being ordered by Him, who is infinite in power,
wisdom, righteousness and benignity, must be well ordered ;
that He does not afflict without a good reason ; that tlie
^ iiTrof/.fjviiv. ^ Heb. xii. 1.
8b THE apostle's EXIIOKTATION. [pAliT I.
object of His cliastisements is, " that we may be made par-
takers of His lioliiiess" — the only and the certain way of our
becoming partakers of His blessedness ; that there is no afflic-
tion that He cannot, that He will not, support under, and
ultimately relieve from ; that sufferings coming directly from
om' fellow-men, yet come ultimately from Him ; that we
richly deserve all the suffering we can sustain ; tliat ovu*
afflictions are not penal evils but fatherly chastisements ; and
that our afflictions, however hea"sy and long continued, are
" but light, and but for a moment," compared with " the far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," in which they
are to terminate, and for which they are a necessary prepara-
tion ; — it is the faith of these truths, and truths like these, that
produces patience. It is difficvilt to say, what the man who
really believes these things cannot endure patiently, pei-
severingly, cheerfully ; aye, joj^fully.
But the faith which leads to patience, must be energetic
faith. The man must " know and be sure" of these things.
He must "be strong in faith." Energy must be added to
his faith — for it is not easy for weak man to be thus patient
u.nder severe and long-continued suffering. A great sufferer
needs to be a magnanimous man. It requires energ}^ to
enable a man to retain self-possession amid harassing per-
plexities and heart-crushing sufferings- To make a man
patient in tribulation, requfres not less energy than to make
him resolutely, persevermgly active in the discharge of the most
difficult duties. He must have had virtue, courage, as well
as patience, who could say — " None of these things mo^^e
me;" "we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we
are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not for-
saken ; cast down, but not destroyed."
And, farther, the faith to which patience is to be added,
must be enhghtened, as well as energetic — there must be
knowledoe, as well as vu'tue. Partial views of the Divine
character and government, throw great difficulties in the
way of patience ; while, on the other hand, the more extensive
and accui'ate our views are on these subjects, the more will we
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 8U
be disposed to say, " I am dumb, not opening my mouth, for
Thou liast done it. It is the Lord, let Him do to me what
seemeth good to Him. Not my will but Thine be done.
Lord, what Thou wilt — when Thou wilt — how Thou wilt."
There is significance in the exhortation, to " add patience
to temperance," as well as to add it along with temperance to
an energetic enlightened faith. Temperance and patience,
as we have explained them, are intimately connected. They
are, indeed, but two manifestations of the same spirit — un-
worldliness ; in reference to what is desirable in the woidd,
unworldliness is temperance, moderation ; in reference to
what is midesirable, it is patience. The man Avho is not
temperate, is not likely to be patient. An inordinate attach-
ment to the good things of life, is a bad preparation for the
endurance of its evils. He who has accustomed himself to
recline in the lap of indulgence, is more likely to be fretful and
desponding than patient, when visited with affliction. They
who rejoice as though they rejoiced not, are, when called to
weep, most likely to w^eep as though they wept not.
It is easy to see how such patience is calculated to make a
man's " calling and election sure." Speaking of sufferings
like Christ's, the apostle says to Christians, "even hereunto
ye are called." Ye are called to suffer — to suffer like Him —
patiently, cheerfully ; He has " set you an example — that ye
may walk in His steps." The sufferer for Christ's cause, in
Christ's spirit, has in his sufferings, and in the way in which
he is enabled to bear them, evidence that he is among the
called ones. His calling is made sure, and so is his election —
" For whom God did foreknow. He also did predestinate, to be
conformed to the image of His Son" — to be made like Him,
first, in the fellowship of His suffering, and then in the fellow-
ship of His glory. Suffeiing, borne in a child-like spirit, is a
proof of being among the chosen ones. The election of the
"beloved brethren," as Paul styles the Thessalonian Chris-
tians, was evidenced to themselves and others, by becoming
" followers of the apostles and of the Lord, ha^'ing received
the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost."
IH) THE apostle's exhortation. [paut I.
All the chosen ones are " brethren, companions in tinbulation,
and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ."
Let us employ what has been said, as materials for self-
examination. Are we, or are we not, in possession of that
temperance and patience, which we have been endeavouring
to illustrate ? If what has been said has been attended to,
and understood, that question should have been answered in
every bosom already. If it has not, let conscience answer
it now.
To those who have been enabled to add to an energetic,
enlightened faith, some measure of the temperance and patience
described, I would say, you have great cause to be grateful,
but no cause to be proud. By the grace of God, you are
what you are. The spirit of the world is an intemperate,
impatient spirit ; that spirit was once yours, and if you have
been delivered in some good measure from it, it has been the
work of the Holy Spirit, " working in you to will and to do."
To God be all the gloiy. Remember that your temperance
and your patience are still but imperfect. You are exposed
continually to temptation to indulge an intemperate and
impatient spirit. " The old man," though mortally wounded, is
still alive in you, and intemperance and impatience are among
his members. Let the force of the new life manifest itself in
mortifying these and all his other members. Seek larger
measui'es of a holy superiority to the undue influence of the
apparent good and e^dl of the present world ; become more
weaned from its enjoyments, and cherish an ever growing
disposition to be unrepiningly submissive to " the mighty
hand of God." "Be sober" (a word nearly equivalent to
temperance in meaning), " putting on the breastplate of faith
and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation ;" and "be
filled with the Spirit." Living in the Spirit, " walk in the
Spirit, and then ye shall not ftilfil the lusts of the flesh."
As to patience, take the apostles and prophets of the Lord,
and above all, take the Lord himself, "for an example of
suffering affliction and of patience," and pray to " the God of
patience" to strengthen you for suffering all His will. Kc-
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 1)1
member that, as your temperance and patience originated in
your faith, it is just hy faith becoming more energetic and
intelligent that you are to grow in these graces : according to
your faith it will be to you. " Grow then in the knowledge of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," and like the disciples say,
" Lord, increase our faith." Thus will you find in your own
experience, the truth of the apostle's assertion already alluded
to, " This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith ; and increasing ui the knowledge of God, you will be
strengthened with all might according to His glorious power,
unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness."
To those Avho are conscious that they have not the tem-
perance and the patience we have been discoursing on, I have
to say. You are to blame for not having them ; you must have
them, or you must perish ; you may have them, in the faith
of the truth as it is in Jesus.
You are to blame for not having these graces. Wliat is
intemperance in the apostle's sense, but siicli an inordinate
esteem of this world's pleasures, or riches, or honom's, as to
make a man seek his chief happiness in them ? What is this,
but to put the world in the room of God ? Covetousness, which,
like intemperance, is just another word for this supreme love of
the world, is idolatry. And what is impatience, but a calling
in question the wisdom, or righteousness, or kindness, of the
Divine dispensations ? — an implicit desire to get the sceptre
of the world, so far as our own interests are concerned, out of
the hands of God. And are not these criminal ? If idolatry
and rebellion against God be not criminal, what is ? Is it not
obviously right that you should seek your supreme happiness
in God ? and that you, the creatiu^e, should humbly submit
to the Creator's arrangements ; you, the sinful creature, take
uncomplainingly — aye, thankfiTlly — those afflictions, which,
however severe, are far less than you deserve ; and which
are intended and calculated to promote your real welfare ?
Surely you ought to be temperate and patient. What can be
plainer intimations of God's will, than these? "Love not the
world, nor the things in the world. If any man \o\e the
92 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
world, the \oxe of the Father is not in Him." "Humble
yoiu'selves under the mightj hand of God."
But not only ought you to have these dispositions ; — ^j'ou
must have them or you must perish. They form a part of the
"holiness without which no man can see the Lord." An
intemperate, world-loving, impatient man, could not enjoy
heaven were he there — where God is all in all. The man
■whose god is his belly, has destruction for his end. " To be
carnally minded is death." He who will not meekly submit
to the Di\'ine chastisement he^'e, must endure the Divine ven-
geance hereafter.
Wliat you must have, if you would escape everlasting
destruction, you can have ; but only in one way. There can
be no such temperance and patience as the apostle describes,
and as we have been endeavouring to illustrate, Avithout the
faith of the Gospel. They must be added to it. Faith must
be in the heart before temperance and patience, in the true
meaning of the words, can be there ; and they wall be there
just in the degree in which an energetic and enlightened
faith is there. A man without faith may be temperate, if by
temperance is understood merely abstinence from gross sen-
sual indulgence ; and he may be patient, if by patience is
understood merely a naturally quiet, uncomplaining disposi-
tion ; but the only temperance and patience that deserve the
name of Christian graces can grow from no root but the faith
of the Gospel, planted and nomnshed in the heart by the
Good Spirit. He who believes the Gospel obtains God for
his all-sufficient, up-making portion, and in the measure of
his faith is indisposed, indeed incapacitated, to seek or find
his chief enjoyment in the pleasures, wealth, or honours of
the world. Admitted to drink his fill from the pvu'e well
of salvation, he can no longer repair to the polluted streams
of worldly delights, to quench his inextinguishable thirst for
happiness ; and he obtains too, by his faith, such views of
the DiAane character and administration, as, in the measure
of his faith, will make him acquiesce in all the dispensations of
the Divine Providence, and make hiin incapable of quarrelling
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMrLYING WITH IT. 93
with any of them, hemg assiu'ed that lie, the wisest and
best Being in the universe, his Father and Friend, does all
things well. There is a deeper philosophy than human
wisdom ever dreamed of, in the Divine arrangement which
makes the faith of the Gospel the necessary and effectual
means of transforming the believer's character, as well as of
securing his salvation. Happy is the man who has " the
witness in himself" that it is indeed so !
5. By adding to 2Mtwice godliness.
" To patience add godliness" is the fifth direction given by
the apostle, how to make our " calling and election sure." God-
liness^ is a general name for religious duties, as distinguished
from moral duties — for our duties in reference to God, in
contra-distinction to our duties in reference to ourselves and
owe fellow-men. It is descriptive of the right state of the indi-
vidual with regard to God — the right state of his mind, of his
heart, and of his life — of his thoughts, his affections, and his
conduct — the right way of thinking, feeling, and acting towards
God.
On a cursory glance at the passage, we are apt to be sur-
prised at the place which godliness holds, in this catalogu,e of
the dispositions and habits by which the Christian is to make
his 'calling and election sure.' As it is obviously, in some
points of view, the most important of them all, we should
have naturally expected that it would stand either at the
beginning; or at the end of the series : at the beo-innino-, to
teach us that all true moral excellence, personal and social,
consisting, as it does, in obedience and conformity to God, is
the natm'al and necessary result of a right state of mind and
heart towards Him ; or at the end, to show us that no temper-
ance, patience, brotherly kindness, or charity, that is not con-
nected with, that does not spring from. Christian godliness, de-
serves to be accounted a Christian virtue, or can, in any degree,
contribute to the makino- oiu' " calling and election sure."
94 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
Oil loi)king more closely, however, at the construction of the
passage, we will find that godliness is just in its right place.
Faith, ^^rtue, and knowledge — in other words, an energetic
enlightened faith, as describing the jninciple of Christian
character and conduct, naturally takes the first place. In
describing ])ersonal Christianity, as flowing from this prhiciple,
it was natural to notice its influence on the indi\idual, as con-
nected -u-ith the present state of things — a state of mingled
enjoj^Tnent and suffering — making him temperate or moderate
with regard to the one, and patient Math regard to the other.
And then — as there is a species of temperance and patience,
which may be met with in worldly men, resulting entirely
from natural principles — " godliness," which, as well as tem-
perance and patience, is the result of an energetic, enlightened
faith, is introduced as at once gixang a peculiar cliaracter to
the Christian's temperance and patience, clearly distinguishing
them from, and highly raising them above, the natural (qualities
which resemble them, and often pass under their name, and
giving completeness to the view of personal. Christian excel-
lence : for what more complete idea can you form of personal
excellence, than the union of temperance, patience, and
piety ?
There is not only, thus, an obvious propriety in making god-
liness the culminating point of personal excellence, there is
also an important significance in making it the connecting link,
as it were, between personal and social excellence.^ It looks
forward as well as backward. It stands in the centre between
the two leading forms of personal excellence, temperance, and
patience, and the two leading forms of social excellence,
brotherly kindness and charity. It is the soul of both. With-
out godliness, neither temperance nor patience, nor brotherly
kindness nor charity, in the true meaning of these words, can
exist ; and the qualities which often bear their name are not,
and do not deserve the name, nor can they answer the purpose
of, Christian virtues ; for godliness is not only a distinct dis-
^ Binney.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 95
position and habit from all the others which are here men-
tioned, as they are from each other, it enters as an essential,
component element into them all. The whole of the virtnes
recommended hy the apostle, as the natural following np of
an energetic enlightened faith, must be characterised by god-
liness. They must be a godly temperance, a godly patience, a
godly brotherly kindness, and a godly charity.
Havins; thus accounted for the place which " godliness "
holds in this series of Christian virtues, and having seen that,
though not the place we would have naturally anticipated, it
is the right place — the place best fitted for showing its intrinsic
sxipreme importance, and its influence in the formation of the
distinctive, Christian character — let us now inquire somewhat
more closely, in wdiat consists that godliness which the Chris-
tian must add to his personal virtues, and to which he must
add his social virtues, which he must add to his temperance
and patience, and to which he nnist add brotherly kindness
and charity, if he would make his ' calling and election sure.'
Godliness is just the yielding obedience to the first command-
ment of the decalooue — a commandment which will be foiind
to include all the other nine — " Thou shalt have no other God
before Me," — a commandment excellently explained in our
Shorter Catechism, as requiring " us to know and acknowledge
God as the only trvie God, and as our God, and to worship
and glorify Him accordingly." The subject is very extensive,
and, from our limited capacities, we need to look at it from
various points of view, in order to obtain any thing like ade-
quate conceptions of it. God, in His character and works —
in His revealed will and providential achninistration — and
man, in his constitution and circumstances, as a rational,
dependent, accountable being, capable of action, enjoyment,
and suffering — and the relations the latter stands in to the
former, as the creature of His hand, and as the subject of
Plis holy moral government, as guilty, depraved, and wretched,
yet under an economy through w^hicli he may obtain pardon,
and sanctification, and eternal happiness — all these must, in
some measure, be understood by us in order to apprehend
96 THE apostle's exhortation. [part r.
distinctl}^ what it is for man to be godly — what is the right
state of the thoughts, affections, and conduct, of such a being
as man with regard to such a being as God. To know and
believe the truth respecting God, to love, trust, fear, believe,
obey God, to submit to and Avorshij) Him, to seek and find
happiness in Him, to be conformed to Him, to maintain fellow-
ship with Him, supremely to desire His approbation, and
steadily to seek the promotion of His glor\", habitually to
think of Him, and to look on ever}^ thing in its connection
with Him, — all this is included in godliness.
The truth about God, known and believed, is the funda-
mental part of godliness. This is thinking rightly in reference
to God. The substance of that truth may be thus stated : —
" There is a God, infinite, eternal, independent and unchange-
able, omnipotent, omniscient, all-^^^se, immaculately hoh^, in-
flexibly just and inconceivably kind — the creator, proprietor,
preserver and governor of all things. This God is displeased
with man on account of sin, yet disposed to pardon and save him
through the mediation of His Son, whom He has set forth a pro-
pitiation through His blood. He is " God in Christ, reconciling
the world to Himself, not imputing to men their trespasses, see-
ing He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that
we mio-ht be made the righteousness of God in Him." " This is
the true God," to use the language of an English theologian,^
" and there is none other but He, and if these great charac-
teristics are denied, or any other assumed in their stead, a man
is left without God ; he may call himself a deist if he Avill, but
his God is a mere idol of the imagination, and has no corre-
sponding reality in the wdiole universe of being." God is
not known, if His glory in the face of Christ Jesus be not
discerned.
And this truth must be apprehended in its evidence, as well
as in its meaning, in order to the existence of godliness in the
mind. We must know it, and be sure of it. It must not
be to us, what it is to many, a mere creature of the imagination
1 William Jones of Nayland.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMrEYING WITH IT. 97
or abstraction of the reason. We never think rightly about
God, except when the truth in reference to His existence, and
presence, and greatness, and goodness, and justice, and mercy,
comes upon the mind with such a sense of their reahty, as
to produce an impression similar to that made by sensible
objects ; when, through the influence of faith, we, as it were,
see what is invisible and feel what is impalpable.
Closely connected with — naturally resulting from, this be-
lieving knowledge of God — this right Avay of thinking about
God, is a right way of feeling with regard to God, including the
affections of supreme love, veneration and confidence. The
godly man loves God. He acknowledges the reasonableness of
the first and great commandment, " Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and all thy
mind." He considers God as infinitely excellent, and regards
Him as the proper object of the highest esteem of which his
nature is capable. All the qualities which make creatures
objects of esteem appear to him to meet in God — without any
drawback of imperfection and increased to infinity — so that he
feels that He cannot be esteemed too highly, that He cannot
be esteemed highly enough ; and, sensible that He has mani-
fested infinite Idndness in what He has done and promised
to do for him, he feels that he owes God a debt of cordial
affection — of deep gratitude, which, an eternity spent in wor-
shipping and ser\dng Him, so far from repaying, can but in-
adequately acknowledge. The language of his heart is, " lliou
art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power :
for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they
are, and were created."
Connected with this supreme love is supreme veneration,
holy fear. The godly man, so far as he is a godly man — so far
as he knows and believes the truth about God, and cherishes
that supreme love which grows out of the truth known and
believed, is delivered from that "fear" of God which "has
torment" in it. He knows Him as " the God of peace," the
pacified Divinity, who was angry with him, but whose anger
has been turned away. Still he regards Him with godly
G
98 THE apostle's exhortatiox. [part I.
fear. The oraiuleur of tlie Divine character is more strikiiio-lv
manifested in the incarnation and sacrifice of the Only Be-
gotten of God, by whicli the sahation of men is made con-
sistent with, and illustrative of, the Divine holiness and
riohteousness, than in any, or in all, of the other works of
God. " There," to use M'Lanrin's burning words, " There
shine spotless holiness, inflexible justice, incomprehensible
wisdom, omnipotent power, holy love. None of these excel-
lencies darken or eclipse the other, but eveiy one of them
rather gives a lustre to the rest. They mingle their beams
and shine "v\ath united, eternal splendour — the just Judge, the
wise Governor, the merciful Father. No where not only does
mercy appear so amiable, but no where does wnsdom appear
more unsearchably profound, and justice wear a more terrible
majesty." In every godly heart, an awful sense of God's in-
finite greatness and excellence, and a holy fear of offending
Him, dwell along with the love which casts out tormenting
fear. Wherever God is sen-ed acceptably He is served " with
reverence and godly fear."
Joined to this love and veneration of God, and rising out of
the same views of His character, is the next element of godli-
ness I noticed — supreme confidence in God. The godly man
is aware of his own weakness, and of the insufficiency of all
creatiu'es to sustain him and bless him. He knows and is
persuaded of the all-sufiiciency, the infinite power, wisdom,
kindness, and faithfulness of God — that he is " able to do
for him, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask and
think ;" and that He has promised to do so, and that " He is
faithful that has promised :" and Ms settled trust finds appro-
priate utterance in the language of the Psalmist — " The Lord
is my lifjht and my salvation ; whom shall I fear ? The Lord
is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afi^-aid ? In the
Lord I put my trust. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress,
and my deliverer; my strength, in whom I will trust, my
buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."
Knowing God's name, he puts his trust in Him, and says —
" Truly my soul waiteth upon God ; from Him cometh my
8ECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT, 99
salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation ; He is my
defence ; I shall not be greatly moved. In God is my salva-
tion and my glory : the rock of my strength and my refuge
is in God."
Thus loving, fearing, and trusting in God, it is natural for
the godly man to believe what God reveals, because He reveals
it ; to do what He requires, because Pie requires it ; to sub-
mit to what He appoints, because He appoints it. Whatever
God says, he accounts undoubtedly true, for he knows that
God cannot be deceived, and cannot deceive. He thinks no
demonstration stronger than this : ' God has said it ; there-
fore it is, it must be, true.'^ Regard for God makes him very
careful not to receive anything as God's testimony, without
satisfactoiy evidence, lest he give to fallible man that which
is due only to the infallible God. Let him but see clearly tliat
a statement is indeed the testimony of God, and, however
strange it may be, however opposed to the opinions of the
wisest of men, or to his own previous opinion, he unhesitatingly
"sets to his seal" that God is true — saying, "Let God be
true, and every man a liar."
Whatever God commands, the godly man does, because
God commands it. He accounts His commandments " con-
cerning all things to be right." Pie recognises His authority
to be paramount ; and when the greatest among men com-
mand what is inconsistent with His commands, his language
is, " Wliether it be right in the sight of God to obey man
rather than God, judge ye." "I will hear what God the
Lord will speak." " Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."
" O Lord, I am Thy servant."
Wliatever God appoints, the godly man submits to, because
God appoints it. He believes, that " His kingdom ruleth
over all ;" that nothing occurs by chance — that all comes forth
fi-om Him who " worketh all things according to the counsel
of His will ;" that He is " wonderful in counsel, excellent in
woi'king ;" and therefore he says, however painful the. event
1 Chillingworth.
100 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART I.
may be to his feelings, however opposed to his worldly inte-
rest, " The will of the Lord be done ;" " Good is the will of
the Lord ;" " It is the Lord — let Him do to me what seemeth
good in His sight ;" " Not my will but His be done ;" " Who
shall say to Him, what dost Thou ? " " Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do right ? " " Even so. Father, for so it seemeth
good in thy sight."
Another element in the godliness which is to be added to
temperance and patience, and to which brotherly kindness
and cliarity are to be added, is the worship of God. The
worship of God is either internal or external. The internal
worship of God is just the habitual cultivation of the senti-
ments and feelings we have been illustrating. Supremely to
love, fear, and trust in Him — to be ever ready to believe what
He reveals, because He reveals it — to do Avhat He commands,
because He commands it — and to submit to what He appoints
because He appoints it : this is to worship \\ath our spirits Him
who is a Spirit, and to w^orship Him in truth. The ordinary
state of a godly man's mind is thus silent, habitual worship ;
and he expresses this state of mind in the appointed offices of
religion. He loves the habitation of God's house, and the place
wdiere His honour dwells. He dares not neglect the holy
assembly for divine worship, as too many do. He goes into
His tabernacle; he worships at His footstool; he is glad
when it is said to him, " Let us go up to the house of the
Lord." " The voice of rejoicing and salvation," — of prayer
and praise " is in the tabernacles" of the godly ; and his family
is kept beyond the reach of the curse that lies on "the families
that call not on God's name ;" and he " enters into his closet,
and shuts his door, and prays to his Father who seeth in
secret."
Still farther, in godliness there is implied the seeking and
the finding happiness in God. The ungodly seek happiness
everywhere but in God, and find it nowhere. Man's
happiness is in God. "Formed for God," as Augustine
says, "man cannot be at rest till he have come again to
God." To know Him, to love Him, to be loved by Him, to
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 101
know that we are loved by Him, to be like Him, to think along
with Him, will along with Him, choose along with Him, and
enjoy along with Him — this is man's true happiness. The
godly seek it and find. When God says, " Seek ye My face,"
their answer is, " Thy face. Lord, we will seek." When
others say, " Wlio will show us any good? they say, " Lord,
lift up the light of Thy countenance on us. Thou hast given
me more gladness than when their — the men of the world's —
corn and wine abound." His favour to them is life. His loving
kindness better than life. Their language is, with the inspired
poet, " Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none
in all the earth whom I desire besides Thee. My flesh
and my heart faileth : but God is the strength of my heart,
and my portion for ever." Or with that other poet, all but
inspired —
" Thou art the source and centre of all minds —
Their only point of rest, Eternal Word !
From Thee departing, they are lost and rove
At random, without honour, hope, or peace.
From Thee is all that soothes the life ()f man,
His high endeavour and his glad success.
His strength to suffer, and his will to serve.
But O ! Thou bounteous giver of all good,
Thou art, of all Thy gifts, Thyself the crown :
Give what Thou canst, without Thee we are poor,
And with Thee rich, take what Thou wilt away!"^
Conformity to God is the next element we mentioned as
inclu-ded in godliness. This is the idea which the English
word most natiu-ally suggests — Godlikeness. The godly man
becomes the " partaker of a divine nature ;" the " partaker of
God's holiness." He is changed into God's image. In all the
imitable perfections of the Divine character, he exhibits a re-
semblance— a real, however faint and distant, resemblance to
God. He is a follower of God as a dear child ; he is " holy as
He is holy," not in the same degree, but in the same sense. He
is forbearing and forgiving, as God is ; and even as to the
1 Cowper.
102 THE apostle's EXHOKTATION. [I'AliT I.
illimitable perfections of the Di\ iiie cliaracter, though there
is no resemblance, there is conformity. To seek resemblance
there is impious — to obtain it impossible. To affect to re-
semble God in independence and sovereign authority, Avere
wickedly to atl'ront Him ; but even here, there is confonnitv
in the godly. Profomid, humble subjection is conformity to
Him who is " the supreme and only potentate," and a feeling
of self-emptiness is conformity to Him who is essential fulness,
and who filleth all in all. The first kind of conformity is the
likeness of a bust or picture to the original. The second kind
of conformity has been ingeniously illustrated by comparing
it to the likeness of an impression to the seal which makes it —
the convexity in the latter not so much resembling as con-
forming to — fitting in to — the concavity in the other.
Fellowship with God is another element in godliness. The
godly man '' icalks with God," as Avith one with whom he is
agreed — " walks humbly " with Him, as one infinitely his
superior. '' Truly," says the Apostle John, in the name of all
the godly, " truly our fellowship is with the Father." Fello\\'-
ship or communion is expressive of two ideas — common pos-
session and mutual intercoui'se. The godly man has the same
views, the same affections, the same employments, the same
satisfiiction with God ; and while he, in prayer and sup})lica-
tion with thanksgiving, makes his requests to God, — God, in
answer to his prayers, "blesses him with all heavenly and
spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus."
A supreme desire of God's approbation, and a habitual re-
gard to the promotion of His glory, are also included in Chris-
tian godliness. With the views which the godly man has of
the divine character, the approbation of God is one of the
most satisfactory forms in which he can conceive of perfect
happiness. In losing God's approbation, consists, he thinks,
man's great misery as a sinner ; and his highest hope is
"the liope of God's glory," that is. His complete approba-
tion at last — the being, in every respect, what God would
have him to be. He studies to " show himself approved of
God." Witli him " it is a Aery small thing to be judged of
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 103
man's judgment." He knows and feels that tliere is but One
whose judgment is all-important — that is, the Lord. To pro-
mote His glory — to think, feel, and act himself, and to make
other men think, and feel, and act, in a way corresponding to
the infinite excellence of God — is his earnest wish and constant
endeavour. Whether he eats or drinks, or Avhatever he does,
he does all to the glory of God. His motto is, " None of us
(Christians) liveth to himself, and no man dietli to himself.
For whether we live, we live to the Lord ; and whether we
die, Ave die to the Lord : whether we live^ therefore, or die,
we are the Lord's."
Finally, godliness implies in it a habitual thinking of God,
and a looking on everything as connected with Him. Of man
born of the flesh merely, it may be truly said, " God is not in
all his thoughts." He is " alienated from the life of God by the
ignorance that is in him, because of the blindness of his heart."
But of the godly man, so far as he is godly, it may be said
that God is in all his thoughts : " His eyes are constantly to-
wards the Lord ;" he realizes His presence — he " sees Him
who is invisible." One of these godly ones says, " How
precious are Thy thoughts unto me {i.e. thoughts about Thee)
how great is the sum of them I If I should count them,
they are more in number than the sand ! Wlien I awake I
am ever with Thee." " I remember Thee on my bed, and
meditate on Thee in the night-watches." Wlien he looks on
the heavens and the earth, he thinks of them as the work of
God's hands — " ]My Father made them all." When he thinks
of famine, pestilence, or wax*, and their horrors, he sees God's
hand lifted up, and beholds the desolations He works on the
earth. The rain is God watering the earth ; the bright sun-
shine is His benionant smile ; the abundant harvest is God's
crowning the year with His goodness. Is he prosperous —
" The Lord giveth." Are his enjoyments removed — it is
" The Lord that hath taken away." Wlien he considers ac-
tions or com^ses of conduct, the view that interests him most
is, their being permitted, or commanded, or forbidden, by
God. He has that serious mind of which John Foster speaks.
104 THE APOSTLE'8 EXIIOIITATION. [PAUT I.
to whicli the tlioiiu'lit of* God comes second to almost everv
other thought. " The thought of duty performed suggests to
him both the idea of a lawgiver and a rewarder ; the thought
of crime, of an avenger : the thought of sorrow, of a con-
soler ; the thought of an inscrutable mystery, of an intelligence
that understands it ; the thought of that ever-mo\'ing activity
that prevails in the system of the universe, of a supreme
agent ; the thought of the human family, of a great Father ;
the thought of all being, of a Creator ; the thought of life, of
a preserver ; and the thought of death, of an uncontrollable
disposer."
Such is an imperfect oiitline of that godliness which, to-
gether with temperance and patience, is the complement of
that personal character which an energetic enlightened faith
goes to form, and by realizing wdiich the Christian makes his
" calling and election sure." If you wish to have a fuller ex-
hibition of Avhat godliness is, I recommend you to read care-
fully the Book of Psalms and the Epistles of Paul, where
you will find it embodied and alive. There you will find full-
length portraits of the godly man.
Before proceeding to the consideration of the distinctive,
Christian, social character — consisting in brotherly kindness
and charity — it may serve a good purpose to say a few words
in illustration of the manner in which " faith" — energetic and
enlightened — leads to this godliness; how this godliness is
connected with, and influences, the "temperance and patience"
to which it is to be added ; and finally, how this godliness
goes towards making the calling and election of the Chris-
tian sure.
It is equally obvious, that nothing but the faith of the truth
respecting God, could produce — " lead on' — the godliness
which we have illustrated; and that this godliness is the
natural and necessary result of such a faith. If there be
not fiiith, codliness cannot exist. And the faith necessarv
to produce godliness requires to be energetic, for in de-
praved human nature, the tendency to ungodliness — the op-
position to godliness — strengthened l)v temptation from tlie
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING AVITII IT. 105
^^'Ol•kl and the wicked one, is very strong, and requires some-
thing strong to overpower it ; and this faith requires to be
enlightened, for, as we have seen, godliness consists in a right
state of mind, and heart, and conduct, in reference to God,
viewed in the complete circle of His attributes, and in the
whole tenor of His moral government. These must be known
in order to true Christian godliness in its proper extent.
How godliness influences the temperance and the patience,
which along with it form the conn)lete, personal. Christian
character, is easily explained. Temperance and patience
apart from godliness, could not make the Christian's " calling
and election sure." It is only so far as these principles are
influenced by the truth respecting God, as the God of salva-
tion, known and believed, that they are Christian virtues at
all. Godliness gives a new character to temperance and
patience. It, as it were, baptizes them, and gives them a
Christian name. They become then principled, religious.
Christian tempers. Godliness gives the man a satisfying
portion in God — an inheritance in heaven, that makes it a
comparatively easy thing for hiui to be temperate in all things,
and farnislies him with supports and consolations — in the
realized power, wisdom, faithfulness and kindness of God, and
in His exceeding great and precious promises — which enable
him to be not only ^'patient" but "joyful in tribulation."
It only remains, for the illustration of this part of the sub-
ject, that I shew how, in the cultivation and exercise of this
godliness, the Christian makes his " calling and election sure"
— affords evidence, both to himself and others, that he is one
of the called and chosen of God. — To this godliness Christians
were called and chosen. They were called and selected from
" the world lying under the wicked one," that they might be
"a holy nation" — a nation consecrated to God — "a peculiar
]>eople, that they might shew forth the pi'aises of Him, who
called them out of darkness into His marvellous light," by
" denying ungodliness, and living godly, in this present
evil world." The Avorld is an ungodly world — and a man
cannot be characterised by the godliness we have described.
10() THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART I.
without niakino; it evident that he is no longer of the world,
but that Christ has called him, and chosen him, out of" the
world. Such a man has the Avitness in himself, that he is
called and chosen ; and so far as his godliness is visibly
manifested in a course of conduct different fi'om that by which
they who are not called and chosen are distinguished, and
by Avhich he was distinguished before his calling and se-
lection— he makes his calling sure to others, as well as to
himself.
It is of high importance that we should inquire. If we,
in our personal capacity, are adding to oiu' temperance and
patience, godliness? If we are not only strictly moral,
bvit trul}' — that is, Christianly — religious'? Have we been
taught by the grace of God, which bringeth salvation to all,
to Yne not only soberly and righteously, but godly in this
world ? Have we known and acknowledcjed the onlv true
God ? and do we know and acknowledge Him as God, and as
our God ? Have we a growine-h^ intelligent belief of the truth
about Him? Do we supremely love, fear, and trust in
Him ? Do we implicitly believe, obey, and submit to Him ?
Do M'e worship Him with om' spirits according to the Gospel
of His Son ? Do we seek and find happiness in Him ? Are we
conformed to His image ? Do we seek to maintain fellowship
Avith Him ? Do we habitually think of Him, and look at every-
thing in its relation to Him ? Or, is the very reverse of this
the truth ? Instead of being godly, are we godless — ungodly ;
"Without God in the world ;" ignorant of His true char-
acter, or grossly misconceiving it ; not having the knowledge
of God — not having the love of God in us — " alienated fi'om
Him in oui* hearts;" nay, "haters of God" — "having no
fear of God before oui* eyes " — trusting in any thing rather
than in Him ; luisiibjected to His authority — neither believing,
nor doing, nor enduring, fi'om a respect to it ; strangers to
spiritual worship — the worship of the mind and heart — and
to communion with God, in the believing contemplation of
divine truth, with the lively exercise of appropriate devout
affection, and the reception of heavenly and spiritual blessings;
SECT. Ill,] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 107
ncA'cr thinking- of God, except when the subject is pressed
on our unwilling attention ; and looking at things in every
relation, rather than in their relation to God ; instead of think-
ing, and feeling, and acting as if it were with God that we
have to do, thinking, and feeling, and acting as if — were there
a beino- in the universe with whom we have nothino- to do —
that Being were God ?
This is substantially the truth with regard to every man bv
nature — it may be the truth with regard to some whom I am
now addressing : for is there any reason for believing that
we have all been born again ? Oh ! how full of folly, guilt,
baseness, and misery is such ungodliness. What a monster
in the spiritual world is the ungodly man ! And what must
be the end of this ungodliness? "Behold," as Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied, " Behold the Lord cometh
with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment upon
all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all
their u.ngodly deeds Avhich they have ungodly committed, and
of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken
against Him." Ah ! " where shall the ungodly and the sinner
then appear V " How shall they abide the day of His coming
— how shall they stand when He appeareth ? " Who, that
has his spiritual senses at all exercised, can help wishing, with
Foster, that " some spirit from the other world, possessed of
eloquence that might threaten to alarm the slumbers of the
dead, would throw himself in the way of these godless ones,
and protest in sentences of lightning and thunder against the
infatuation that can acknowledge that there is a God, and be
content to forego every connection with Him, but that of
danger." Repent, repent, ye godless ones — else ye must
perish. " For they that are far from God shall perish."
But you may be brought near. Some as far off as you have
been brouoht near. In the faith of the truth, come to " God
in Christ reconciling the world to Himself," and the certain,
blissful consequence will be — to this faith you miW " add
trodliness."
And let those who, while mourning the felt remainijur
e
108 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART I.
luio-odliness of their fallen natm^e — eroaiiiiio; under the
power of the evil heart of unbelief, leading them away from
God — are yet conscious that the outline of the character
drawn in the preceding part of these illustrations, is in some
measure realized in them, gratefully acknowledge that by the
grace of God they are what once they were not, and follow
after godliness — seek higher and higher attainments in the
knowledge of God, in conformity to Him, in fellowship with
Him, in the enjo^anent of Him. In proportion as they are
godly, will they be holy and happy.
Live "godly in Christ Jesus." Let your godliness be
Christian godliness. In cultivating godliness, habitually look
to Christ Jesus. Look to Him as your gi'eat exem])lar. It
has been justly said, that " While in one nature He Avas the
true God, in another He was the most godly man that ever
was in the world." If vou are not o-odlv, the mind is not in
you that was in Him. How did He know, love, venerate,
trust, obey, submit to God — realize His presence at all times ;
in one word, live in God — to God ! Look to Him for all
that is necessary to make you godly. In Him — animated
by His Spirit — you will " deny ungodliness," and every day
become more and more godly — godlike. " Without Him" —
apart from Him — " you can do nothing." And look to Him,
also, for the acceptance of your very imperfect godliness. Our
godliness cannot please God, or be acceptable to Him, but m
Christ — on the ground of His all-perfect righteousness, and
through the medium of His all-prevalent intercession. Thus —
thus only — will you be enabled, under the influence of an
energetic, enlightened faith, to add to temperance and patience
godliness; or to use the words of the apostle on another
occasion, to " cleanse yourselves fi'om all filthiness of the flesh
and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God^^ —
which is another name for godliness.
Happy is the man who feels in a growing, confirmed habit
of godliness (to use the words of a great "WT^iter, repeatedly
referred to already) as it were, " the grasp of the hand of God,
which will never let him go ; who can say, ' I carry upon me
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING AVITII IT. 109
tlie eternal mark that I belong to God. I am free of the
universe, and I am ready to go to any world to which He
sliall be pleased to transmit me — certain that every where,
in height or in depth, He will acknowledge me for ever."^
" Whom have I in heaven but God, and there is none in all
the earth that I desire beside Him. My flesh and my heart
faileth, biit God is the strength of my heart and my por-
tion for ever." Happy indeed is the man who is in such a
case as this ! Happy is the man whose God is Jehovah !
6. By adding to godliness, brotherly-kindness.
The sixth direction given by the apostle for making the
" calling and election sure," is, " add to godliness, brotherly-
kindness. "Brotherly-kindness"^ has, by some interpreters,
been considered as descriptive of the disposition and conduct
which the Christian ought to cherish and chsplay towards
all to whom, whether in the literal or figurative sense of the
word, he stands in the relation of brotherhood — whether they
are, in the strictest sense, brothers, as children of the same
parents — or, in a wider sense, as those connected with us by
consanguinity and affinity — or, in a wider acceptation still,
as those to whom we are miited by the bonds of friend-
ship or the tie of a common country — or, in the widest
possible sense, as belonging to the same race, the children
of one common progenitor. That the word, however, is not
to be so understood, is obvious from two considerations :
first, that brotherly -kindness is here contra- distinguished
from charity,'' which is love in the most general meaning
of the term ; and, secondly, that wherever the love of the
brotherhood, or brotherly love, or Idndness, is mentioned in
the New Testament, it obviously refers to the peculiar love
which Christians cherish and display towards each other as
Christians.
This, then, is the Christian disposition which the apostle
^ Foster. ^ (pih»h7^<piiitv. ^ eiyciTi-iV.
IKJ THE apostle's exhortation. [PAllT I.
exhorts them to "add to godhness;" and a few words in
reply to the questions, What is this love founded on ? What
are its constituent elements'? How is it to be displayed?
what are some of its characteristic qualities ? and Vfhj does
it receive the appellation of brotherly-kincbiess ? ^\^ll suffice
for the illustration of this part of the Christian character.
This affection is founded on the Christianity both of its
subject and object. It is an affection which only a Christian
can cherish, and which he can cherish only towards one whom
he regards as a Christian. The affection originates in the pos-
session of a peculiar mode of thinking and feeling produced
in the mind by the Holy Ghost, through the knowledge and
belief of Christian truth, which naturally leads those who
are thus distinguished, to sympathy of mind and feeling, of
thought and affection, with all who, under the same influences,
have been led to entertain the same \-iews and to cheri,sh the
same dispositions : they love one another " in the truth, for
the truth's sake that dwelleth in them, and shall be in them,
for ever." It is based on relations, sentiments, dispositions,
pursuits, trials, enjoyments, and hopes connnon to them as
individuals, and peculiar to them as a class.
As to its elementary principles, while it includes goodwill,
benevolent regard in its highest degree, it combines with them
moral esteem, complacential delight, and tender sympathy.
It does this in every instance; but the measiu'e in which these
elements are fomid, in different cases, depends on the measure
of Christian excellence in him who loves, and in him who is
loved. Every Christian loves every other Christian when he
knows him; but the greater the attainments which the Christian
has made in likeness to Him who is the supreme object and
great exemplar of this kind of affection — the Elder Brother,
"the first born among many brethren" — whether he be the
subject or object of Christian love, the more does he put forth
or draw forth its benio-uant influence. The liker I am to
Christ, the more will I love all the brethren ; and the liker a
brother is to Christ, the more will he fix my brotherly regards
on himself.
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COxVIPLYING WITH IT. 1 1 I
As to the manner in Avhich this brotherly-kindness is to be
manifested, generally speaking, it ought to be manifested as far
as practicable, in cultivating a kindly, intimate intercourse
with, and in endeavouring, by all appropriate means, to pro-
mote the true happiness of, its objects. The brethren are to
shew their love to one another by sympathy and relief. They
are to visit each other in their affliction. They are to
" remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and
them that suffer adversity, as being themselves in the body."
They are to rejoice with each other in their joys, and weep
with each other in their afflictions. They are to " use hospi-
tality to each other without grudging." They are to " distri-
Ijute to the necessities" of the indigent brother — not to say to
him, ' be ye clothed, be ye fed,' yet give him not the things
needful for the body, though they have this world's goods.
They are to be kind, tender-hearted — forbearing and forgiving-
each other ; assisting each other in their labour's — bearing
with each other's infirmities — aye, not only bearing with, but
bearing them, helping them to bear them. They are to " seek
not every one his own wealth " — Avell-being — " but every
man also the well-being of his brother" — his well-being
in all the extent of that word, and specially his well-
being as a Christian man — ^his deliverance from ignorance,
error, and sin, in all their forms, and in all their degrees ;
his progressive and ultimately complete happiness, in en-
tire conformity to the mind and will of God ; the unclouded
sense of the cUvine favour, the uninterrupted enjoyment of
the divine fellowship, the being like the ever blessed, holy,
holy, holy One. For this purpose brotherly love will lead to
mutual intercession — to admonition and reproof, when neces-
sary, but always in a loving spirit. The Christian under the
influence of this principle, will delight in his brother's Chris-
tian attainments and triumphs, as if they were his own ; he
will never be ashamed of his brother, however low his place is
in society, and however he may be frowned on or persecuted
by the world — never be ashamed to call him brother.
As to the qualities by Avhich this brotherly love should be
112 THE apostle's EXllOrtTATIOX. [PAIIT I.
distinguished — it shoidd be sincere. Christians are to love
one another " with a pure heart ;" their love is to be " v^dthout
dissimulation;" they are to love not in word and in tongue,
but in deed and in truth. Their love is to be such, as
naturally proceeds fi'om a pure heart — a love which can floAv
fi'om no other fountain, founded on qualities Avhicli excite
love only in a sanctified heart seeking for its appropriate ob-
jects such a happiness as only a sanctified heart can de-
sire, by means which only a sanctified heart can suggest or
employ.
This brotherly love should be fervent : " Have fervent
charity among yourselves," says the apostle in his first Epistle.
"Love one another fervently." The love must be intense: such
as many waters cannot quench ; and it must be permanent
and constant — preventing wearying in doing good ; so intense
and persevering as to induce even the parting with life to
gain its end. Wlien circumstances call for it, the Christian
brother, according to the loving as well as beloved disciple,
should be ready to " lay do\\ii his life " for the brethren.
This brotherly love is, in this and other respects, to be
like the love which the elder brother bears to all the
brethren. This is His commandment, that they should all
love one another as He has loved them all. Their love, like
His, should be discriminative, sincere, spontaneous, copious,
disinterested, active, patient, self-denying and self-sacrificing,
considerate and wise, generously confiding and kindly for-
bearing, constant and enduring, holy and spiritual.
This brotherly love, too, ought to be characterised by uni-
versaliti/. It is to be exercised in proportion to the closeness
of the connection into which, fi'om a variety of circumstances,
we may be brought with particular Christians, but is to be
cherished towards all who love our Lord Jesus, and whom
our Lord Jesus loves. These are golden words of our Con-
fession, and should be written on oiir hearts : " All saints that
are united to Jesus Christ theu' Head, being miited to one an-
other in love, have communion in each other's gifts and graces,
and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. 113
private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the in-
ward and outward man. Saints, by profession, are bound to
entertain a lioly fellowship and communion in the worship of
God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend
to mutual edification ; as also in relieving each other in out-
ward things, according to their several abilities and necessities.
Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, should be
extended unto all who in every place, call on the name of the
Lord Jesus."
It only remains here, that we inquire why this peculiar
affection receives the name of hrotlievly kindness. It is so
called, because it originates, as we have seen, in the relation
of spiritual brotherhood; and, like the affection between
brothers, is so spontaneous, that the want of it Avould be some-
thing monstrous, and at the same time so wide, yet restricted
in its objects, that it extends to every member of, but goes
not beyond, " the family in heaven and earth called by the
same name." Such is the brotherly kindness which must
be added to godliness, in order to our " calling and electioji"
being made sure.
It is easy to see how this, like all the other Christian dis-
])ositions and exercises here mentioned, is connected with
the faith to which, like the rest, it must be added. Faith
forms the relation in which the affection orimnates. Faith
unites u.s to Christ, and thus connects us with Christians.
It is His being our common Elder Brother that makes us
all brethren. And it is faith, too, which furnishes us
with all the motives to the cultivation and exercise of this
brotherly love. This faith needs to be energetic — to have
virtue added to it ; for brotherly love requires to be power-
fully sustained, because it has much work to do. It has to
struggle with strong opposition, fi'om within and fi'om withoiTt.
It has a labour to perform — " the laboiu* of love ;" it has much
to do, much to suffer. It stands by faith, and the faith by
which it stands needs to be strong. And the energetic faith to
Avhich bi'otherly kindness is added, requires also to be en-
lightened faith. " To virtue must be added knowledge;" for
H
114 THE apostle's EXHORTATTOX. [PAET T.
it needs a well-iiifunned luiiid, a sound judgnieiit, to direct
and guide tlie operations of bi'otherly love. A brotherly love,
uninfluenced by an enlightened as well as energetic faith, may
do much harm in seeking to do good, and, certainly, will gain
but in a very imperfect degree its appropriate objects.
The connection of brotherly kindness "with godliness is also
abundantly apparent. There can be no brotherly kindness
where there is no godliness. It is by God's becoming our
spiritual Father that we become spiritual brethren. While I
am unoodly, godly men are not my brethren : I am of my
father the devil, and his children are my brethren. It is by
becoming godly that I am brought into God's family ; and if
I am brought into the family, surely it is meet that I should
cultivate family afi^ections. I cannot love those who are
begotten till I love Him who begets — and if I love Him who
has begot, surely I ought to love them who are begotten.
When I am godly, God is my Father, and all His children
are my brothers. Ought I not, then, to love them ? should
not brotherlv kindness be added to godliness?
How this Ijrotherh' kindness makes the Christian's " calling
and election sure" — affords evidence to the Christian himself
and others that he is indeed called and chosen, is easily ex-
plained. A^^ien the Christian is called, he is called into the
fellowship of God's children ; when he is chosen, he is "chosen
to be before God in love " — " to walk in love as God has loved
him." As to its evidencing the " calling and election " to the
individual himself, the Apostle John says, " We know that
we have passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren : he that loveth not his brother abideth in death."
And as to its evidencing the calling and election of the
Christian to others, our Lord says, " By this shall all men
know that ye are ^ly disciples, if ye have love one to an-
other."
7. Bi/ adding to brotherly kindness charity.
We come now to consider the last of those Christian dis-
positions by the exercise and display of which the Christian's
SECT. III.] TIIK JfANNER OF COMPLYING AVITH IT. 1 1 ;>
" calling and election " are to be made sure — " charity r and
" to brotherly kindness add cliarity,"
Charity here is plainly not almsgiving, nor is it, what often
absurdly receives the name, a disposition to think of men's
character and spiritual state better than evidence warrants.
Charity is lo^"e, and, contradistinguished as here from brotherly
kindness, describes the affection which Christians ouo-ht to
cultivate and manifest towards their fellow-men, though they
do not belong to the Christian brotherhood — though they be
aliens from the commonwealth of the spiritual Israel, strangers
to the covenants of promise, without God and without hope in
tlie world — though they be in the world lyi«g under the
wicked one. Brotherly kindness is to be the social character
of the Christian in reference to the church — charity or love,
in reference to the world.
Here, as in the case of brotherly kindness, it may be well
shortly to answer the questions : On what is this charity based 'I
What are its constituent elements '? What are its appi'opriate
manifestations ? What are some of its characteristic qualities ?
Charity, like brotherly kindness, and indeed, like every right
disposition and habit, is based on the divine command. Love
to all mankind is most distinctly enjoined by God. It is the
sum of the second division of the decalogue. If the first oreat
commandment be, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with.
all thy heart, and soul, and strength, and mind," the second,
which is like to it, is, " Thou shalt \o\e thy neighbour as thy-
self." And if we ask, with the lawyer, " Who is my neigh-
bour f the answer is. Every man that lives, be he the most
wicked and despicable of men — be he your most determined
enemy. But, in speaking of the basis of this duty, I refer
not so much to the divine command on which its obligation
immediately rests, as to that on which the divine command
itself is founded. Brotherly kindness is based on the peculiar
relation which exists among Christians, as spiritually the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Love to mankind
is based on all men being naturally the children of God, and
the children of one common liuman progenitor. '■' Have Ave
IIG THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PAR P 1.
not all one Father ?" — God. " We are all the work of Ilis
hand " — " all His offspring." And as we have all the same
divine Father, Ave have all the same human parents. Adam
and Eve were the parents of all li-sing, and so were Noah
and his wife. " God has made of one blood all nations of
men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." There is an
obvious propriety that Christians should \o\e all men on ac-
count of the relation they bear to God. Like the poorw^idow,
of whom ^Ir Newton tells, Avho saved her crumbs to feed
other people's chickens, " We should love to do good to God's
creatures, for His sake who made them." And we should
love them for the relation, too, which they bear to ourselves —
partakers of the same nature, subject to the condemnation
fi'om which w^e have been delivered, capable of the salvation
of which we have been made partakers.
Now, what are the elements of this love of Christians
towards all men? Tliev are obviouslv not the same as
in the case of brotherly kindness. This is not the love
of approbation or of complacential esteem ; for a Christian
cannot approve of, cannot delight in, Avorldly and wicked
men. Its leadino- element is o;ood-M'ill — a sincere and ardent
wish for their true happiness, especially in the form of cordial
commiseration — deep pity, for the hazardous and miserable
concUtion in which their guilt and depra\"ity have placed
them.
As to the appropriate manifestations of this love, I begin
with remarkinir, that it must be manifested in abstainino;
from ever}'thing like injury to any man. " Love worketh no
ill to his neiohbour." It cannot work ill to him. He who
loves his neighbour cannot injure him, either in his person,
or in his property, or in his relatives, or in his reputation.
But this love is not a mere negation- — the absence of hatred
jiroducing the absence of injury. It is positive good-will —
kind regard producing benefits. This love is manifested in
thinking of, and feeling towards, all men, as kindly as possible,
even though obviously not belonging to the Christian brother-
hood. In human nature unchanged by divine influence, there is
SECT. III.] THE 3IANNEII OF CUxMPLYING WITH IT. 117
indeed no spiritual good; bnt there maybe mucli tliat is amiable,
much that is morally estimable in unrenewed men. Some
of these qualities are perhaps, in all men. It Avere absurd
to deny that there are candour and truthfulness, and honour,
and kindness, in some men plainly irreligious ; and an en-
lightened Christian loves these men for such qualities just as
his Lord loved the young man who had not yet entered, and
would not enter, into the kingdom of God.
The love wliich Christians should cherish to unconverted
men ouglit to be manifested chiefly in earnest, persevering en-
deavours to relieve their wants and miseries, and bring them
into the possession of true happiness. Their endeavours to
relieve the miseries of poverty and cUsease are not to be con-
fined to the brotherhood. It is enough that the victim of
poverty and disease be a man, to give him a resistless claim
on the kind regard of a Christian, Avho has added charity to
brotherly kindness and godliness.
" Not to the good a,loiie we owe ^ood-will :
In good or bad, distress demands it still." ^
The wants and miseries of men, as guilty, depraved,
wretched already, and in danger of becoming much more and
irreparably wretched, are those which chiefly bulk in the eye
of an enlightened Christian man, and call out his love, in the
form of pity, to active exertions in order to their removal. It
is love that makes him desire and endeavour to save souls from
death. To provide for the ignorant the means of instruction,
especially religious instruction; to seek the prevention or cure
of humoral habits ; to send the blessed Bible and the glorious
gospel to benighted nations, that they may be turned " fi-om
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
+1iat they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance
among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ :"
these are the appropriate manifestations of Christian love.
For these and similar objects Christian love labours ; and,
^ Armstrong.
118 Tin: A I-OSTLE's EXHORTATION. [PAKT 1.
sensible liow little liuiuaii labour can du, lo\ e prays fur all
men " that they ma}' be saved, and come to the acknowledg-
ment of the truth."
As to the characteristic qualities of this love, they may all
be described in one word. This love to the world of man-
kind, should resemble God's. It should be sincere and uni-
versal. God does not, cannot love the world, as He loves
His own. Christians do not, cannot, love the world as
they love the brotherhood. But God does love the world ;
He loves man as man ; His love is philanthropy — the love
of man ; and so should be the Christian's. That a man
is wicked, is no reason that I sliovdd not love him : when
men were sinners, Christ, God's Son, died for them. Pie
makes His sun to shine, and His rain to fall, on the unthank-
ful and evil. It is no reason why I should not love a man,
that he is my enemy : when men were enemies, they were
reconciled to God through the death of His Son. God's love
to the world is an active love. What human beino- does not
enjoy innumerable fi'uits of His love? And this is the most
remarkable fruit of His love — He gave His only-begotten
Son to suffer and die, that any man — everi/ man, however
guilty and depraved, believing in Him, " might not perish
but have everlastino- life." Our love to man should be fruitful
love, and one of its chief fruits should be the carrying to all
men the soul-saving truth — that God loves the world, and
that whosoever believes in His Son who died, the just in the
room of the unjust, shall not perish. God's love to the world
is patient, long-suffering love. Had it been otherwise, where
would our guilty race have been ? — Not in the land of the
li\dng, not in the place of hope. " It is of the Lord's mercies
that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail
not." Our love to a perishing world should " suffer long and
be kind ;" our compassions slioidd not fail. No obstinac}' nor
ingratitude should induce us to relinquish, or even to abate,
our labours of love among our guilty, depraved, perishing-
brethren. They never can try us as we have tried God — we
never can bear with them as He has borne \\ith us.
SECT. HI.] THE MANNER OF COMPLYING WITH IT. IIU
Such is the charity which is to be added by Christians
to brotherly kindness, that their " calHng and election " may
be made sure. " This love towards men, this love of men as
men," to use the words of an eloquent living preacher, " of
the entire race, as it exists immediately in the neighbourhood
of the church, or fills " the habitable parts of the earth," in
all lands, is not, as a Christian sentiment, to be a barren
though beautiful idealism — a vague philosophic glow of frater-
nity, a feeling that utters itself in no deeds of valiant endeavour
to better the world, but only in grandiloquent talk — talk, too,
it may be, about anything but men's highest interests, or even
in contravention of such. It is not to be this, but a real, deep,
earnest, intense thing as to its nature : and a real, effective
doer of work as to its expression." ^
The connection of this charity with the faith to which it,
as all the other Christian virtues, is to be added — with the
godliness of personal character, to which the social virtues
are to be added — with the brotherly kindness, with which it
is in the text more immediately connected, — may be unfolded
in a very few Avords.
Without faith — the belief of the Christian revelation — the
foundation of this charity cannot be seen, nor the motives to
its cultivation and display felt. An unbeliever cannot by
possilDility be a philanthropist, in the sense in which we have
explained it. He cannot feel sympathy for evils, the existence
of which he does not believe ; he cannot be expected to make
exertions to prevent or relieve them. xVnd the faith that pro-
daces and pi'ompts charity requires to be energetic, for it has
much to do and much to sufter in following out its objects ;
and it reqiiires to be enlightened as well as energetic, for there
is need of much knowledge both of man's nature and Christ's
law, and a wise application of that knowledge to secure these
objects.
Godliness is necessary in order to this charity, which is just
love to men viewed in their relations to God — love to them
' Binney.
120 THE APOSTLE'8 EXILOKTATION. [I'AUT I.
for the sake of God ; and this charity is at once one of the
tests of the reahty, and one of the measures of the strength,
of godhness or Christian piety.
It is only the man in whose bosom glows brotherly kind-
ness, who can be the subject of a truly Christian philanthropy ;
and what looks like brotherly kindness, is in danger of turn-
ing out on examination to be nothing better than a modifica-
tion of selfishness — an attachment to om* own party — if it be
not connected with the charity which leads us to do good to
all men as we have opportunity.
Dr Henry More very beautifully illustrates the connection
of this virtue with those to whicli it is to be added. " Having
gained such a victory throucfli divine o;race over our lusts and
passions (as is indicated in temperance and patience), and
been transported Avith a high sense of thankfulness to our
Divine Redeemer and benefactor (included in godliness), who
wants nothing of our retributions Himself, the stream of our
affections is naturally driven downwards to His saints who
dwell on the earth, and profess the same religion as ourselves
(in brotherly Idndness). But the purified soul cannot stop
here, but the quick flame of love mounts upward, and is re-
flected again downward, and vibrates every way, reaching at
objects in heaven and in earth ; and therefore, in her pure
and ardent speculations (i.e. contemplations) of the Godhead
in His unlimited goodness, and also her observations on the
capacity of the whole creation of receiving good both from
Him and one another, she overflow's those narrow bounds of
brotherly love, and spreads out that inefftibly amj^le and
transcendently divine grace and virtue, charity, luiiversal love
whicli is the highest accomplishment the soul of man is capable
of^ either in this world or in that which is to come; and thus at
last becomes perfect as her Father in heaven is perfect, even in
humble imitation of that God who is love.""
How this charity makes the " calliiia; and election sure," is
very obvious. It is a plain proof that the mind is in us that
Avas in Christ Jesus ; and if we have His Spirit we are " His,"
" with Him, called, chosen, faithful."
SECT. III.] THE MANNER OF COMrLYING WITH IT. 121
We have thus finished our illustration of the apostle's an-
swer to the question, lloio are Christians to '' make their
calling and election sure?" Possessed of faith, let them see
that that faith be energetic and enlightened, and let that
energetic, enlightened faith prove and manifest its existence
and power in making them personally temperate, and patient,
and ])ious, and in making them, socially, lovers of the brethren
and true friends to all mankind. — To the practical bearings of
that portion of the subject which has now come under our
review, let us now briefly turn ovir attention.
What has been said lays a foundation for solemn self-in-
quiry. Have we that brotherly kindness and charity of which
wejiave been speaking, and without Avhich no man's "calling
and election" can be made sure? Have we the spiritual
faculty of recognising a Christian brother when we meet him?
and when we do so, does our heart go out towards him ? Do
we love the brethren as brethren — love them for their charac-
teristic relations aiid qualities ? Do we love them in propor-
tion to the degree in which they seem to u^s to possess these
qualities, and are we glad to have an opportunity of mani-
festing our brotherly love ? Have we a cordial, kind regard
to all mankind ? Do we love our neighbom's — that is, every
man — as we love oui'selves, with the same reality and con-
stancy ? Are we disposed to do good to all men as we have
opportunity ? Are we especially affected with the spiritual
wants, and miseries, and danger of our brethren of mankind ?
Do we pity and pray for them, and endeavour to pluck them
as brands out of the fire ?
If we have not such brotherly kindness, such charity, as-
suredlv we are not amona; the called and selected of God ;
and unless a thorough change takes place in our mode of
feeling, both in reference to saints and sinners, we cannot in-
herit the kino'dom of God. Let those who are conscious that
this is their case, seek to " pm-ify their souls in obeying the
truth" — i.e. in believing the Gospel through the Spirit ; then
will they have "unfeigned love of the brethren" — then will
they, having become brethren, love all the brethren " with a
122 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
pure heart, fervently;" and, in the faith of the same Gospel,
let them learn to be " followers of God, as dear children" — of
Him who "■ so loved the world as to give His only-begotten
Son" to be their Saviour, and who " would have all men to
be saved by coming to the knowledge of the truth" — by seek-
in f to make known, wherever guilty, depraved, miserable
man is to be found, that truth which makes known that
Saviour.
Let those who have the testimony of their conscience that
they have this brotherly kindness and charity, though by no
means in the deo-ree in which thev ought to have them, be
thankful to Him who has taught them sincerely to love the
brethren, and deeply to pity the poor prodigals Avho, as was
once the case with themselves, are wandering far from their
Father's house. It was in the faith of the truth that ye be-
came lovers both of your brethren in Christ and of your
brethren of mankind. It is in the continued, growing faith of
the truth that you are to grow in brotherly kincbiess and
charity. See that your faith be increased, that you may abound
more and more in all the appropriate expressions of these holy
dispositions.
Brotherly kindness and charity obey the general law of
habit, and are strengthened by exercise — we can never want for
opportunities of exercising them. Real Christians are not so
nmnerous as we could wish, but there is no such lack of them
as to render it necessary that brotherly kindness should be in
abeyance for want of proper objects. Cultivate intimate
acquaintance with the brethren, and seek to get good from
them and do good to them. Seek to make every good man
you know better and happier for his intercom^se with you.
And if there are opportunities enough for manifesting, and
thus strengthening our brotherly kindness, surely the ojipor-
tunities are still more abundant for showing our charity,
our love for those of our fellow-men who are not yet the
proper objects of brotherly kindness. How fall of guilt,
depravity and wretchedness — of crime, poverty, and disease —
of io-norance, error, and fatal delusion, is our world! How
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR C()3IPLYING WITH IT. 123
are our fellow-immortals peri^liingby millions — passing through
the miseries of time into the miseries of eternity ! To the ear
opened by faith they are uttering a loud and an exceeding
bitter cry : " Help, help — we perish ! Have pity on us —
have pity on us — O ye who say that ye are children of
Him who loves the world, and who has, as you profess to
believe, so strangely manifested His love to man, God the
Saviour." Where is our charity to them, where our love to
Him, if we can resist such an appeal ? Let us determine to
do good to all men, and continue and increase our endeavours
to do good, in the Christian sense of that phrase, both at home
and abroad, as we have opportunity.
§ 4. WHY ? MOTIVES TO COMPLY W^ITH THE EXHORTATION.
The motives by which the apostle urges those to Avliom he
wrote to " make their calling and election sure," by following
the course he reconnnends, come now to be considered. These
motives are drawn from their being furnished with everything
necessary for prosecuting their high aim with success, from the
bad consequences which would result from their neglecting
it, and ft'om the most blissful consequences which would re-
sult from the diligent and persevering prosecution of it.
I have repeatedly had occasion, in the course of these illus-
trations, to advert to the immeasurable superiority of the
morality of the Bible above that of the schools of ancient and
modern philosophy, in reference to its substance — how much
wider in its range, how much deeper in its principles, how
much more extensive and spiritual in its requisitions, how much
purer, how much more consistent, how much more complete ;
and we are now^ to show, by example, that, in the power and
appropriateness of the motives by which the morality of the
Bible enforces its injunctions, it maintains a corresponding-
superiority above all its competitors. It has encouragements
to present, it has e\als to threaten, it has blessings to promise,
which never could lia\-e entered into the mind of the pliilo-
124 THE apostle's exhortation. [paut I.
sopher ; aiul in proposing these to the mind, it exhibits them
not as possibihties, nor even probabihties, but as absolute
certainties. It speaks vNdth the authority of God, when it
proclaims that everything necessaiy for the discharge of duty
is richly provided ; that the neglect of duty leads to ruin,
and that the performance of duty leads to happiness — true
and unendino-.
1. They m'e furnished ivith everything necessary to enable them
to coinply with the exhortation.
The first motive presented by the apostle in the j^assage
before us to uro-e Christians to ' make their callina; and elec-
tion sure/ — by adding to their " faith virtue, and to virtue
knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance
patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly
kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity," — is, that they are
abundantly furnished with all that is necessary for enabling
them to perform their duty in this way. This moti^^e is un-
folded in the third and fourth verses : " According as His
divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to
life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath
called us to glory and virtue : whereby are given to us ex-
ceeding great and precioits promises ; that by these ye might
be made partakers of the di^^ne nature, having escaped the
conniption that is in the world through lust."
In our excellent version of the Scriptures, this is one of the
passages in which, though not a single word or phrase seems
to have any difficulty connected with it, yet no very dis-
tinct impression of the meaning is left on the mind of even
the most attentive and intellio-ent reader. There is an image
before the mental eye, but we cannot distinctly discern the
form thereof. We cannot make out a clear, consistent mean-
in o- — we do not see the drift of the passage; we do not appre-
hend what is the inspired writer s object, or how what he says
tends to what we may conjecture to be his object ; we cannot
translate the apostle's words into clear, intelligible words of
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 125
our own. Wherever this is tlie case, there is reason to sus-
pect that some of the inspired words or plirases have been
misunderstood, or that the construction or connection of the
passage has in some way or other been misappreliended.
It is not so much to the first of these causes that the diffi-
culty in the case before us has originated ; for akhough (as
we have already had occasion to sliow) the phrase " to glory
and virtue," ^ should have been ' by glory and virtue,' re-
ferring as it does to the glorious power by which God makes
His call effectual ; and although 'a divine nature' would have
been a better rendering than " the divine nature," ^ of which
no creature can, by any means, become a partaker, — the
paragraph is, upon the whole, very well translated, consider-
ing its difficulty. It is not so much to the first of these causes
that the obscurity which every intelligent reader feels is owing,
as to the second. When the construction and connection of the
passage is clearly apprehended, its meaning becomes clear, its
object obvious, and we perceive and feel how well it is fitted
to gain that object.^
From the pointing in the most accurate editions of our
authorised version, it is plain that our translators connected
the third and fourth verses with what goes before, and not
with what follows after. They place a comma at the end of
ver. 2, and a period at the end of ver. 3, w hereas they should
just have reversed these points. There is indeed but one sen-
tence from the beginning of the tliu'd verse to the end of the
^ Silccg (pmeai; not rij? deia; (pwsag.
^ One of the most absurd divisions I have ever met Avith, though not
without a grotesque kind of ingenuity, is on this text, by an old English
expositor. " Here we have — 1 . The foimtain — where observe — the hope
of the petitioner — according as God has given — the ability of the giver,
Divine power, the liberty of the action, given — the necessity of tlie re-
ceivers, us — the universality of the gift, all things, etc. 2. The cistern,
where observe, Who, God — what, hath called — whom, us — whither, to
glory and virtue. 3. The pipe or bucket to draw or derive all to us —
through the knoivledge of Him.'''' — Adams.
126 THE apostle's exhortation. [I'ART T.
seventh.' The particle rendered "according as,"^ cannot
here denote comparison, for there is nothing mentioned to
which the Divine power, " giving iis all things pertaining to
life and godliness," can be compared. The only sense of the
particle that suits the connection is that in which it expresses
a cause or reason ; in which case it is of correspondent force
with oiu' ' because' or ' since ;' — as in the expression. Matt,
vi. 12, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,"
explained by Luke xi. 4, " Forgive us our sins ; for we also
forgi\-e every one that is indebted to us." It indicates the
ground of the subsequent exhortation. The particle, strictly
speaking, is superfluous, as the literal rendering of the words
which follow is, 'the Divine power having given vis' — i.e.
since the Divine power has given us. You will readily per-
ceive the important bearing of what I have said in eliciting
the meaning of the passage. ' Because, or since, the Divine
power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godli-
ness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us by a
glorious power, by which are given to us exceeding great and
precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of a
divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world
through lust, — seeing all this is so — because such is the state
of things — you ought to follow a certain course.^ What that
course is, is stated in the fifth, sixth, and seventh verses, con-
nected with the tenth. The words (ver. 5) rendered strangely
" and besides this " * may be literally translated ' with regard
^ " Ver. 3 is the protasis of ver. 5, and ver. 4 an epexegetical confirma-
tion of ver. 3." — Dr John Lillie.
^ Slionld the third verse be connected with the second, still u; must be
understood as = since, and the sense would be, ' I pray that grace and
peace may be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ
our Lord — because the Divine power has given you all things that per-
tain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him,' etc. It seems
however, much better to connect the third verse with the fourth than
with the second verse — to make it the beginning rather than the end of a
sentence.
■/,ci\ aiiro tovto.
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 127
to this very thing — i.e. life and godliness ;' or, ' because of
this very thing — that all things, etc., have been given to you,'
do ye also, giving all diligence, add to your faith, etc. ; and
then, giving all diligence, " make your calling and election
sure." The connection is thus clear, and the general mean-
ing obvious : ' Seeing God has given to us all things pertain-
ing to life and godliness, in reference to this thing, do ye also,
giving all diligence, add to faith, etc., and then make, etc'
The words in the third and fourth verses are the statement
of a reason or motive why Christians shoidd do what they
are commanded to do in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and tenth
verses.
Some interpreters consider the us in ver. 3 and 4 as re-
ferring to the apostles, as distinguished from those to whom
the Epistle is addressed, called i/ou in the end of ver. 4
and 5. They suppose the apostle to refer to blessings con-
ferred on the apostles for the benefit of those converted by
theui ; but it seems far more natural, and it is cpiite in ac-
cordance with apostolic usage, to employ the word us of them-
selves in common with their converts — its Christians, not us
apostles. AYliathe here speaks of was not peculiar to apostles,
but common to Christians, and the transition from the use
of ice to that of i/e in the end of the fourth verse, is ac-
counted for from the circumstance that the apostle is about
to adopt the language of direct address.
Having thus ascertained that these two verses contain a
motive to Christians to do what they are enjoined to do in the
fifth, sixth, seventh, and tenth verses, let us now inquire what
that motive is, and how^ it is fitted to serve its purpose.-^ The
meaning and force of the passage may be thus given : —
" The Divine power has given to Christians all things that
^ The construction of the third verse is peculiar : ' The Divine power
having given to us.' The best commentators are agreed that here, as
also in the fourth verse, the perfect passive is used in an active sense.
Had, instead of the hypothetic participial form, the direct form been
adopted, it would have run : ij Siiot ovvccfii: a-JTrju Truurct nx. ttooc ^u%'j y.ul
ivdifiiiiccv ViiMV (tiOo>pr,ra.t.
128 THE apostle's exiioPvTATton. [papt t.
pertain to life and godliness : lie lias done this by tlie know-
ledge of God — i.e. in giving tliem the knowledge of God He
has given them all these things : those things that pertain to
life and godliness are presented and conveyed to Christians in
exceeding great and precious promises, and these promises are
given that Christians may, by believing them, become par-
takers of a divine natiu'e, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world through lust ; and this is a powerful reason
why Christians should " give all diligence to make their call-
ing and election svire, by giving all diligence to add to faith
virtue," etc.
Now, satisfactorily to unfold this motive, so that we may
perceive and feel its force, it is necessary that we inquire
what is meant by the Divine power — what by that knowledge
of God which it gives us — what by " all things pertaining to
life and godliness," and how these are given us by the di^ane
power through the knowledge of God — what by the exceed-
ing great and precious promises given to us by glor}" and
virtue, a glorious energy equal to the divine power — what by
becoming partakers of a divine nature — what by escaping
" the corruption that is in the world through lust," the pur-
pose for which the exceeding great and precious promises are
given — how these exceeding great and precious promises are
fitted to gain the end for which they are intended — and,
finally, how all this is a stroncj motive to Christians to " i^ive
all diligence to make their calling and election sure, by add-
ing to their faith," etc. The road is now plain before us ; let
us endeavour to foUoAv it, and may it lead us not only to a
satisfactory apprehension of the meaning of the apostle's
motive, but to a strong and practical impression of its con.-
straining power.
" The Divine power,"^ which is here represented as giving
us all things pertaining to life and godliness through the
knowledge of God, is usually considered as the divine attri-
bute of power, personified, and as equivalent in meaning to
^ rijf Slice; ^vvocfiiu:.
SECT, n.] MOTIVES FOK COMPLYING WITH IT. 129
' God in the exercise of His power.' I rather think that, instead
of being the personification of a Divine attribute, it is an ap-
pellation of that Divine person who, along with the Father and
the Son, exists in the unity of the Godhead. As the Son is
the personal wisdom or word, so the Spirit is the personal
power of God. There can be no reasonable doubt that, in
Luke i. 35, the expressions " Holy Ghost," and " Power of
the Highest," are two appellations of the same Divine agent ;
and in those passages where the power of God is represented
as an agent — not a mere power, or influence, or act — it
seems all but certain that the term ordinarily denotes the Holy
Ghost : e.g., " The poioer of the Lord was present to heal :" ^
" The poicer that worketh in us."^ "Stephen, full of faith
and of poiver" seems equivalent to, " Stephen full of faith and
the Holy Ghost :"^ and "kept by the poicer of God through
faith," ■* means preserved by the Holy Ghost through believing.
Tradition informs us that Simon Magus, the Samaritan im-
postor, pretended to be the Holy Ghost ; and it seems likely
that it was in reference to this claim that the deluded popu-
lace said, " This man is the great power of God."^ The
sense is substantially the same, whichever of the views we
take of the meaning and reference of the appellation, for God
works all things iii His Son bi/ His Spirit.
This power gives Christians " all things pertaining to life
and godliness, through the knowledge of God." What is
that knowledge of God by which the Divine power gives us
these blessino-s, and how is the communication of these bless-
ings connected with this knowledge ? The knowledge of
God is the revelation of the truth respecting the character
and moral administration of God towards men — what the
apostle calls " the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ" — the revelation which God has
made of Himself through the mediation, — in the person and
work of His only begotten Son. " No man hath seen God
' Luke V. 17. - Eph. iii. 20. ^ AcLs vi. P,, 0.
4 1 Peter i. 5. " Acts viii. 10.
130 THE apostle's EXnORTATIOX. [PAET I.
at any time, the only begotten Son, y\\\o is in the bosom of
the Father, He hath declared Him." That knowledge may
be viewed ohjectiveli/ as embodied in the truth as it is in
Jesus — in the inspired statements of those " holy men, who
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," or, subjec-
tively, as dwelling in the mind and heart of him who has,
under the influence of the same Spirit, been made to under-
stand and believe these inspired statements. Both in the one
case and in the other, God, by His Spirit, gives this knowledge
— gives it in the Holy Scripture — for all Scripture is given
by His inspiration — sheds it abroad in the heart of the be-
liever by the Holy Ghost given to him, so that the testimony
which was without is now within, and God is revealed not
only to but in him.
And in this knowledge — hy this knowledge, He " gives us
all things pertaining to life and godliness." Here we must
first inquire into the meaning of the phrases, " life and godli-
ness,"^ and "things pertaining to life and godliness,"^ and
then endeavour to show how all things pertaining to life and
godliness are given to us by the Divine power through the
knowledge of God.
It is very unprincipled interpretation to say, with one class
of expositors, that "life and godliness" is just an expression
synonymous with eternal happiness or salvation. Somewhat
nearer the truth, but still not satisfactory, is the interpreta-
tion which makes life and godliness equivalent to a godly life.''
Holy character and conduct is, I am persuaded, the idea —
the character and conduct more fully delineated in the 5th,
6th, and 7th verses. But life seems to refer to the principle,
and godliness to the manifestation, of the holiness which the
Christian must cultivate and exemplify, and without which
his calling and election cannot be made svu'e.
Spiritual life is the capacity of, the tendency towards, holy
action and enjoyment. Of this, man is naturally destitute.
^ C^oiYiu Kctl evoifiiixy. ~ roc xpog ^w/iu kxI iiKTijiiiuu.
'■' As Semler, wlio says it is a liendiadys = ttdoc ^or/iu iviTi(iei!ra,T/iv.
SECT. ly.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING AVITII IT. IHl
He is dead while he hves — " dead in trespasses and sins.''
He requires to be " quickened" — to be made capable of, and
disposed to, holy action and enjoyment. Godliness seems
here a general name for the manifestation of this life in such
holy tempers and habits as are enumerated in the succeeding
context.
The expression rendered " pertaining to," seems to signify,
necessary for. Now, what are the things necessary to secure life
and godliness for a being such as fallen man is ? What is at
once requisite and sufficient to make dead man spiritually alive
— man " alienated from the life of God through the io-norance
that is in him" — " without God in the world," habitually
godly in his temper and conduct ? Spiritual death is a penal
evil, and cannot be removed but on the ground of an adequate
atonement. A transforming spirit is as necessary as a pro-
pitiatory sacrifice, for there must be a change of character as
well as of state — a real change as well as a relative one. To
make men think and feel aright in reference to God, there
must be a revelation of the truth respecting the Divine char-
acter, attended wath such evidence as shall lead to that faith
through which alone such a revelation can become operative
on the mind and heart of man ; and to make men act rightly
in reference to God, there must be a clear statement of duty,
accompanied with such an array of appropriate motives as
shall lead to the reo;ulation of the life according; to that state-
ment. These are the things which " pertain to," are neces-
sary to, and sufficient for, " life and godliness."
Now, all these things " the Divine power has given us
through the knowledge of God." That revelation, which has
for its author the Holy Spirit — the power of God — and for
its subject the character and administration of God, makes
all these things known to man, and presses them on his ac-
ceptance. There we learn that by Messiah having been " cut
off not for Himself," " transgression is finished — an end made
of sin, and an everlasting righteousness brought in;" that
" God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not im-
puting to men their trespasses, seeing He hath made Hiui
132 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
who knew no sin to be sin in onr room, that we might he
made tlie rioliteousness of God in Him;" that He, that Just
One, ]la^■ing died in the room of the unjust, is " set forth a
])ro|jitiatio3i in His blood;" that God is the just God, and
the Saviour" — "just and the justifier of the sinner behoving
in Jesus." There, too, we learn that by Christ's having be-
come a curse for us, we are not only " redeemed from the
curse" of the law, and " that the blessing of Abraham" — or a
free and full justification, through believing — " has come on
us" Gentiles, but also that " we may receive the Spirit by be-
lieving"— that Spirit which quickens the dead and purifies the
unholv; that since Jesus is glorified, the Holv Ghost is a;iven —
shed forth abundantly on all believing men. There we have
the truth with regard to God plainly revealed and satisfac-
torily attested — truth, the belief of which cannot but make
men, in the measure of their faith, holy and happy. There,
too, we have the perfect law of liberty, with its powerful
motives, fitted both to teach us oiu' duty, and to induce us
to do it. And when, under the influence of the Holy
Spirit, that revelation of God is understood and believed —
when the knowledge of God, which was Avithout us in the
word, is thus brought into us — then we actually have, up to the
measure of our faith, " all things" that are necessary to life
and godliness. Believing we " receive the reconciliation".
" In Chi'ist we have redemption through His blood" — we are
"justified from all things" — "there is no condemnation for
us." " We are washed and sanctified" — transformed by the
renewino; of the mind — we " know the truth and the truth
makes us free." The law is put into our minds and written
on our hearts, and we are taught by " the grace of God, which
brings salvation to all, to deny ungodliness and Avorldly lusts,
and to live soberly, righteovisly, and godly, in this present
world, looking for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of
the Great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Him-
self for us that He might redeem us fr-om all iniquity, and
purify us to Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works." Thus " has the Divine power given to us all things
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. loo
that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of
God."
There is some difficulty in fixing the precise reference
of the connective particle loherehy, in the beginning of the
fourth verse.^ It seems most natural to refer it to tlie
terms immediately preceding, rendered "glory and virtue,"
words which I endeavoured to show mean " glorious energy"
— ^that almighty influence which He, who is the Power
of God, puts forth when He calls men from death to life,
from darkness to light, and gives them all things that
pertain to life and godliness.^ The statement of the fourth
verse appears to me explanatory of that of the third verse.
The things given to us pertaining to life and godliness are
given to us by the Divine power, through (or in) exceeding
great and precious promises, and it is by the faith of these
promises that the great end of these things being given us is
gained. The desio-n or tendencv or effect of these exceed-
ing great and precious promises is, " that we may become
partakers of a divine nature, having escaped (or escaping) the
corruption that is in the world through lust."
The Avord promises,^ in the New Testament, not un-
frequently signifies — the blessings promised, as when de-
parted saints are said to " inherit the promises." Here,
however, the word certainly has its primary meaning.
The Holy Spirit has given us exceeding great and precious
promises.
The promises are termed great and precious from the mag-
nitude and value of the blessings to which they refer — the
things that pertain to life and godliness — to man's highest life,
and most important diitics. Take the following as a specimen
of these exceeding great and preciou.s proiviiscs : — -Of restoration
to the Divine favour — " By His knowledge shall my liighteous
Servant justify many, for He shall bear their hiiquities ;" " I,
0/ u)V.
- As the thing is owe, the connective miffhthavc l)een It" ov ; hiil as the
expression is plural, it is at least equally correct to use ni i-iv.
■" i'TT'u.y/ihy.ccTOL.. uiore usually iTnx.yyiT^ioti.
134 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
even I, am He who Llottetli out your transgressions for My
own sake, and I will not remember your sin ;" "I will forgive
their iniquities, and I will remember theii* sin no more ;" "If
any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus the
Righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our
sins only, but also for the sins of the whole Avorld." Of
transformation of character — " I will pour out ISIy Spirit unto
you, I wdll make known My words unto you;" " I will put
My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes,
and ye shall keep my judgments and do them." Of enlighten-
ment in the knowledge of truth — " I will pray the Father,
and he will give you another Comforter, even the Spirit of
Truth, that He mav abide wdth you for ever ; and when He is
come He Avill puide you into all truth;" "Ye shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free;" " They shall
all know Me, from the least to the greatest." Of guidance
in the way of holiness — " An highway shall be there — it shall
be called the Way of Holiness ; the wayfaring men, though
fools, shall not err therein ;" " He will teach us of His
ways, and we will walk in his paths ;" "I will instruct thee
and teach thee in the way in which thou shalt go ;" "I will
direct their work in truth." These are promises to which,
as relating to the things which we have seen pertain to life
and godliness, the apostle may be supposed to refer. It is
likely he had in \dew also those promises of complete and
eternal holiness which are so often used as motives to the
cultivation of holiness in the Scriptures — the all-compre-
hensive blessing, eternal life. " Eternal life is the gift of God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord ;" "I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, and neither shall any pluck
them out of My hand. My Father who gave them unto
Me is greater than all, and none can pluck them out of My
Father's hand." Such are the exceeding great and precious
])romises given to Christians in the word of the truth of the
Gos])el — holding out to their acceptance the blessings the}'
refer to.
NoAv these promises are given for an important ])ractical
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 135
purpose. They are given to serve a double purpose — ' that by
these we may become partakers of a Divine nature, escaping
the corruption that is in the world through lust.' It would
have better suited the genius of our language, and brought
out more distinctly the meaning of the apostle, if the clauses
had been transposed, and the words written — ' that we,
escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust,
might, by these, become partakers of a divine nature ; ' or
' that we might escape the corruption in the world by lust, and
become partakers of a divine natiu'e.' Let us look at these
two pui-poses, and inquire how the exceeding great and pre-
cious pi'omises are fitted to serve them.
The first purpose in the order of natm'e is, " that we may
escape the corruption that is in the world through lust."
There is corruption in the world ; that corruption is through
lust ; Christians are natm'ally involved in this corruption ;
the exceeding " great and precious promises" are intended to
deliver men from this corruption. When the Apostle Paul
says, that " until the law sin was in the world," he means
that, during the period referred to, all were sinners. When
Peter here speaks of corruption being in the world, he means
that all mankind are corrupt. The account of the antedi-
luvians is still the truth with regard to mankind, except
in so far as they have been changed by Divine influence —
" When God looked upon the earth, behold it was corrupt, for
all flesh had corrvipted his way on the earth." " The whole
Avorld lieth in Avickedness" — under the Wicked One. The
race of man is a guilty and depraved race. This moral cor-
ruption is " through lust" — inordinate desire. It is in desires
of what is forbidden by God that depravity manifests itself;
and, by following out these desires, it is propagated and
increased. Christians, in their natural state, are involved in
this corruption ; for " there is none righteous, no, not one."
They are, " by nature," " dead in trespasses and sins" —
children of wrath, even as others — walking according to the
course of this world — fulfilling the desires (the lusts) of the flesh,
and of the mind." The old man is " corrupt, according to
loG THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART T.
the (leceitfiil lusts." From this corruption tliey escape — tlicy
are delivered.^ " Such were some of them" — such were all of
them ; but they are " washed." How have they been de-
livered ? So far as agency is concerned, " by the Spirit of
our God" — the Divine power. So far as instrumentality is
concerned, by " the exceeding great and precious promises,"
understood and believed. When the promises are understood
and believed, the desires get a new direction, which leads
them out of the world — to God. The treasure being seen to
be in heaven, the heart is there also ; the affections are no
longer set on things on the earth ; the grace of God, bring-
ing salvation to all, in these exceeding " great and precious
promises," teaches them who believe, to deny ungodliness and
worldly lusts, and to live " soberly, righteously, and godly."
" Having these promises," they leai'u to " cleanse themselves
fi'om all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, and to perfect
holiness in the fear of God."
The second purpose (which is just a following out of the first)
of " the exceeding great and precious promises" given to
the Christian, is, that he may " become a partaker of the divine
nature." JVatiire here does not mean essence, but disposition
— moral quality ; and the original expression is not the divine
nature, but a di\ane nature. To become a partaker of a divine
nature, is a phrase of similar meaning with that in the Epistle
to the Hebrews,^ " that we may be partakers of His holiness"''
— become holy, and thus resemble God. It is a blasphemous
dream, that men can ever become, as it were, part and parcel
of God, by being absorbed into the infinite essence, fi'om
which, according to this system of inter|3retation, they first
emanated, or by being deified in a manner corresponding to
that in which, to vise strange words, God was honiinified
in the Son. The divine natiu'e here referred to is just the
divine image, in Avhich man was originally created, and to
Mt is a good remark of the late Professor Scholefield, a good scholar
and a good man : '•' Not having escaped its entanglenicnt, but having
escaped from it after being entangled."
- Chap. xii. 10. ■'' si: to /u,eru?KUi3i7i/ rr,; v.yioTriZO: ac'JToi.
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 137
reproduce which is the great design of the restorative dispen-
sation. It consists in " knowledge, righteousness, and hoh-
ness." It is the Holy Spirit who " creates us anew in Christ
Jesus," after the image of the Creator ; but He does this " by
the exceeding great and pi'ecious promises." It is by under-
standing and believing the Gospel revelation that our mind is
brought into conformity with God's mind — our will into con-
formity with His will; it is thus we become godly — GodHke,
spiritually, heavenly minded — seeking the things that are above
— loving what God loves — liatino- what He hates — choosing
what He chooses — seeking and findino- satisfaction in that in
which He finds satisfaction. We must not, however, interpret
the passage so as to hold that the escape from pollution must be
complete before the participation of a divine nature com-
mences. The two processes go on together. In the degree
in which w^e escape, we partake ; and in the degree in Avhich
we pa?'taA'e, we escape.
Such, then, is the apostle's account of the provision wdn'ch
has been made for Christians beino; holv in all manner of
conversation. The Holy Spirit has, by the knowledge of
God, given them all things that are necessary to a new life
and a godly character and conduct — " having given them
exceeding great and precious promises, that by these they
might escape fi'om the corruption that is in the world through
lust, and become partakers of a divine natiure." So furnished,
can any thing be more reasonable than that they should
" make their calling and election sure," by " adding to faith
virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowdedge temper-
ance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness,
and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness
charity." ^ They are not required to perform impossibilities —
tlicy are not called to prosecute a warfare on their own charges
— weak, empty in themselves, they are strong, complete in
^ This is the force of x.xi uvro rovro, strangely rendered by our trans-
lators and besides this; it is equal to S/ kvto rovro or x.t/,ra. k. r. A.
since, in reference to this thing, for oi", or on account of, this very thing,
" add to your faith virtue," etc.
138 THE apostle's EXHOKTATION. [I'AKT I.
Christ. There is nothing wanting — all things are ready for
their running with perseverance the race set before them,
and in a patient continuance in Avell-doing, seeking for glory,
honour, and immortality.
If such provision has been made for life and godliness — for
obtaining a complete escape from the corruption that is in the
world, and for becoming partakers of a divine nature, Iioav
strange and lamentable is it, that even genuine Christians
are so deficient in holy attainment. Were they making
the use they might and ought to make — of the infinite
atonement — the complete reconciliation — the free pardon —
the Omnipotent Spirit— the clear well-accredited revela-
tion— the plain, good, just and holy law, with its powerful
motives — what heights of excellence might they not attain '?
How should they be ashamed to think that, with all these
advantages, there is still so much deadness, if not death, in
them — so much departing from the Kving God, under the
influence of the evil heart of unbelief — so much conformation
to this present world — so little transformation by the rene\\dng
of the mind — so much likeness to the corrupt world lying
under the wicked one — so little resemblance to their Father
in heaven. Let them acknowledge, with contrition, that
it is even so : " That they have not attained, neither are
already perfect;" but let them not despair — let them resolve
to use more carefully, than heretofore, the abundant provision
which has been made for their indefinite progress in holi-
ness ; for there is no saying what measure of a divine natiu'c
w^e may obtain — how like God we may become, even here,
in holiness and happiness — how much of heaven Ave may
enjoy on earth ; and let them determine to " do this one
thing — forgetting the things which are behind, let them
reach forth towards those which are before, and press toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus."
How utterly Inexcasahli' are those who, livinn- under the
Gospel dispensation, continue dead and ungodly — slaves of
corruption — devoid of a divine natiu'e. You, who are yet in
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOIl COMPLYING WITH IT. 139
your sins — who have not been born again, cannot make use
of the ])rovisions made for the prosecution of true hoHness, in
the same way as the regenerate can. But why? Simply
because you do not beheve the Gospel, and they do. Not
the less true is it, that all these provisions lie ready for
your use in the Gospel, if you will but believe it. There
is the infinitely valuable sacrifice of expiation ; but it can
avail you nothing, while you treat as a common thing the
blood, by which alone expiation can be made. There is the
free, full-sealed pardon, but you refuse to receive it. There
is the all-powerful, free, good Spirit, but you do Ilim despite,
rebelling against, and vexing Him. There is the voice of God,
in a plain, well-accredited revelation, but you stop your ears
and harden your hearts. There is the good, holy, and just
law, but you break off its yoke from your necks. There are
all the persuasive, and terrific motives, by Avhich it urges to
obedience, but you trample under foot equally the invitations
of grace and the warnings of jvistice.
Even had there been no restorative dispensation at all, still
the man who lives and dies in sin, would riclilv deserve his
doom. But what an additional weight of guilt must press
down to the nethermost depths of perdition him, who, with all
the means of restoration to holy happiness within his reach, ob-
stinately reftises to avail himself of them — who, with the means
of obtaining an ever growing likeness to God, preparing
him for intimate fellowship with Him for ever, prefers perfect-
ing that character of depravity, which will make him a fit
companion for the devil and his angels. Such men shall
" utterly perish in their own corruption." " If the word spoken
by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobe-
dience received a just recompense of reward, how shall they
escape who neglect so great salvation as that which the Divine
power has given us, in exceeding great and j)recious promises?
If he who despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how
much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath
trodden under foot the Son of God, counted the sanctifying
1)lood of the covenant an unholy thing, and done despite to the
140 THE apostle's EXHORTATION. [PART T.
Spix'it of Grace ? What awaits such a person, persisting in such
a course, but a certain fearful lookino; for of judgment and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." God forbid
tliat this should be the doom of any of us. But it must be
the doom of every one of us who does not avail himself of the
provision the Divine power has made for our deliverance from
spiritual death, and depravity, and endless ruin. All things
tJiat pertain to life and godliness — all the unsearchable riches
of blessedness, treasvu*ed up in " the exceeding great and pre-
cious promises," may be yours. But they can be yours only,
if received and employed in the way of God's appointment ;
and they must be received now. To-morrow may see them
placed for ever beyond your reach. JVoio — " noiv is the accepted
time. JVow is the day of salvation."
2. That tnost lamentable consequences mil result from not
complying with the exhortation.
Let us now attend to the second motive adduced by the
apostle, drawn from the results of neglecting to comply with
his injunction. These consequences are ' barrenness,' or rather
idleness, unfruitfulness, blindness, the incapacity of seeing
afar off, tlie forgetting that they had been purged from their
old sins, the probability of their falling, and salvation (if
attained at all) attained with difficulty — " salvation as by fire."
In stating these consequences, the apostle has in view both
those who, professing to have obtained " like precious faith
with the apostles" — to have received grace and peace fi'om God
the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, and to have been
called and chosen of God — have, either through self-delusion,
or in hypocrisy, made a false profession ; and those avIio,
though their profession is not false, yet come short in comply-
ing with the command, to make their " calliuf; and election
sure," by adding to " faith virtue, knowledge, tempex'ance,
patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity." Some
of the things, he says, are more applicable to the one, others
more applicable to the other, of those two classes.
Barrenness, or rather idleness (for that is the proper signi-
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOll COMPLYING AVITH IT. 141
fication of the word rendered barren^) — is represented as
the first result of neglecting the apostolic injunction. They
who comply Avith the injunction are " not idle,'" plainly
implying that they who do not comply with it are " idle."
You will notice, it is not idleness generally that is here men-
tioned— it is idleness " in," or in reference to, " the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ" — idleness with regard to those employ-
ments in which the Gospel, which, when understood and be-
lieved, gives us the knowledge of Jesus, induces us to engage.
The persons referred to are often busy enough about every
thing but this, their most important business. Indeed, it is
often their being so busy about other things that leads to their
being idle with regard to this. Faith may be viewed as the
motive power in the mind. Where there is no faith there
will be no spiritual activity ; where to faith energy is not
added, dutiful exertion will be feeble and fitful ; and, indeed,
where any of the Christian graces enumerated are defective,
there will be a corresponding want of activity in some dej^art-
ment of practical Christianity. They are all requisite to form
the habitual, consistent, active Christian. Idleness is a state
of discomfort, and leads to other and worse evils. An idle
Christian must be an unhappy Christian. He wants the
satisfaction which God has, by the veiy constitution of our
nature, connected with conscious dutiful exertion ; he is con-
stantly exposed to temptation to employ wrong the activitv
which he neglects to employ aright. The words of Dr Watts
are applicable to others beside children —
" Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do."
He is contracting guilt by neglecting duty, and laying up a
subject for painful, self-accusing, reflection. Idleness has
much that is bad in it, for it argues dissatisfaction, either with
our jMaster, or with our work, or Avitli both. Beyond all this,
it is to be recollected that the final doom of the idle, u.nprofit-
able servant is a very dreadful one. These are awful A\'ords :
^ cipyoi/c: quasi dspyovc. Matt. xx. 3.
142 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
»
" Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I
reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed ;
thou oughtest, therefore, to have given my money to the
exchangers, and then, at my coming, I should have received
mine own with usury. Take, therefore, the talent fi'om him,
and give it to him that hath ten talents ; for unto every one
that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance ; but
from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that which
he hath ; and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer dark-
ness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Unfi'uitfalness in the knowledge of Christ is the second
bad result that is represented as flowing fi'om not compljdng
wdth the apostolic injunction. He who complies with it is
" not unfruitful" — he who does not comply with it is " un-
fruitful." To be unfruitful, which is the natural result of
being idle, is to fail of serving the important, viseful pru'poses
which Christians are meant to serve — in securing their oAvn
personal improvement — in making their fellow Christians and
their fellow men wiser, better, and happier, and in tluis pro-
moting the glory of God. These are " the fruits of righteous-
ness wdiich are to the praise and the glory of God." This is
being fruitful with respect to the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. " For the grace of God, which brings
salvation to all," is intended and calculated to teach men " to
deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, right-
eously, and godly, in this world;" and in the degree in which
this end is not gained, the man who lives under the Gospel
dispensation is unfruitful. He who wants faith cannot bring
forth fruit at all ; and he whose faith is not energetic will bring
forth but little fi-uit. Comfort and holy usefulness go to-
gether. Even a true Christian, who is thus comparatively
unfrviitful, will smart for it — he will be " like the heath in the
wilderness, which seeth not when good cometh ;" and habitual
continued unfi-uitfulness must end in destruction. Let the
unfruitful ponder the parable of the barren fig-tree. Unfi'uit-
fulness must lead to its being cut down — or, what is scarcely
less fearful, its l)eing allowed to stand in the vineyard, and
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 143
toither away," with the curse lying on it, '•' Let no fruit grow
on thee henceforth, and for ever." — " The earth which clriiik-
eth in the rain that cometh on it, and beareth only briers and
thorns, is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned."
Blindness is the next evil, which the apostle represents as
connected with not complying with his injunction — " lie
who lacketh these things is blind." ^ He shows that he is
destitute of true spiritual discernment. He who has not faith
at all is, in the matters of the spiritual world, utterly blind ;
for faith is, as it were, the organ of spiritual sight, that which
enables a person to see the world that is unseen, and the God
who is invisible : and he who hath little faith has but a
weak spiritual sight — sees little, and even that little indis-
tinctly. He does not see in the way in which it is desirable,
either what is true or what is right, what is his duty or what
is his happiness, and especially " he does not," as the apostle
says, " see afar off."^ Some have supposed the apostle's
idea to be — ' he winks' — he purposely shuts his eyes — he is wil-
fully blind. This is true, to a considerable extent, of all spiri-
tually blind persons ; but the meaning seems to be, he is short-
sighted.'' He is occupied with things near at hand — he sees
them, but not as they really are — and he is incapable of seeing
distant objects, and consequently is not affected by them. He
looks intently on " the things seen, and temporal" — but he
does not see, for he does not look at " the things that are
unseen and eternal." The man who " lacks faith, virtue,
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kind-
ness, charity," while he is seeking worldly good, wealth, honour,
and pleasure, is blind indeed, and does not see afar off — does
not see to the end of these thina;s — neither the eternal life,
in which one course ends, nor the eternal death, in which
another terminates. To be thus blind is a great misery, as
Avell as a great fault. The blind knows not whither he goes,
and is in great hazard of falling into the ditch.
^ Tv(p'K6g. ^ ^\juiv(x.^uv, mklgc-ejjed.
■^ The Vulgate renders it '' tcntars manu," groping.
144 THE apostle's exhortation. [pakt I.
The next statement respecting the man Avho neglects to
comply with the apostle's injnnction is couched in somewhat
remarkable language, — " He has forgotten that he was purged
from his old sins."^ The words, literally rendered, are, " he
has become forgetful of the purification of his old sins." The
person spoken of is supposed to have had, in some sense or
other, his old sins purified — to have once known this, but to
have now forgotten it. The phrase, purification of a man's
sins, admits of a variety of interpretations. Our sins Avere
purged or purified or expiated by the Son of God, " through"
the sacrifice of " Himself," before " He sat down on the
right hand of the INIajesty on high." His atoning sacri-
fice may then be called the purging or the pmification
of our sins. What takes place on believing may be also
called the pm'ging or pmnfication of om* sins. Then we
are united to the Purifier — then we are interested in the puri-
fying power of His blood and Spirit — then we are " washed,
sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,
by the Spirit of oiu* God." Baptism also may be called the
purification of our sins, as it is an emblematical repre-
sentation of the manner in which sin is purged, and as
it is, when submitted to by an adult, a solemn profession of
that faith which interests us in the atonement and Spirit
of Christ, by which ^ve are pvirified from sin. " Arise and
be baptized," said Ananias to Saul, " and wash away thy
99
sms.
It is doubtful how the phrase should be understood here.
It may mean that the man who lacks the virtues Peter enume-
rates, acts as if he had forgotten the expiation or purging of
sins by Jesus Christ, through the sacrifice of Himself — for he
neglects the great purpose of that sacrifice. " He gave Him-
self for us that He might redeem us fi'om all iniquity, and
purify to Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."
If he had kept this, as he ought to have done, in remem-
viiv, ix\\ = 'A-}jdi(j6o(.i, i'7ri'hct.v6ct,vi(Tdoi.i — oblivisci.
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 145
brance, he would have added to his faith virtue, and all the
other Christian graces. Or it may mean — the man has, in
consequence of not being diligent in adding to faith virtue,
etc., lost sight of his personal interest in the atoning and
sanctifying influence of the sacrifice and Spirit of Christ.
Or — he acts as if he had forgotten his baptism — the truth
Avhich it emblematically exhibited and confirmed, and the
solemn self-dedication and en £i;a cements which it involved.
The use of the expression " his old sins," i.e. his sins pre-
^■iously to his faith, or profession of faith, seems to confine
our choice to the last two senses — and I rather think that
the first of these exhibits the apostle's meaning. The Chris-
tian who does not add to faith virtue, etc., is sure to lose
sight of his being a forgiven and sanctified person, and fall
into doubts whether he has been purged fi*om his old sins
by the sacrifice and Spirit of Christ. Like a man recovered
from sickness, but falling back again into bad health, he will
begin to doubt of his recovery, and to think of it as a dream.
There is no retaining, in a coiu'se of spiritual declension, a
Avell-oTounded assurance of our own forgiveness. The self-
deceiver, and even the declining Christian, often attempt to
unite the two things, and some very mistaken hyper-Calvinist
divines seem as if they were inclined to help them in this
happily vain attempt. But God has so constituted human
nature and the plan of salvation, that it is only living faith,
a faith which proves its life and energy by its effects, that can
give and sustain the " good hope through grace." Surely the
thought that our not adding to faith virtue, etc., is certain to
shake our assurance of salvation, and excite painful doubts
and fears, is a strong motive to " add to faith virtue, and
knowledge, and temperance, and patience, and godliness, and
brotherly kindness, and charity."
Still farther, he who does not comply with the apostle's
injunction is in danger of "/aZ/«?^," whatever that may mean.
" If ye do these things," says the apostle, " ye shall never
fall," plainly implying, — " if ye do not do these things ye are
in great danger of falUng." Tlie man who does not " add to
K
14G 'JHE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
faith virtue/' etc., is in danger of falling into sin. He who
does not make progress is likely to go back — he who ne-
glects duty is in the high Avay of falling into sin. He is in
danger of falling away — falling into apostacy. Not that any
real partaker of " like precious faith Avith the apostles" sliall be
a cast-away : but the man who thought himself, and w^as
thought by others, a true Christian, will fall away, if he do
not add to faith virtue, etc. ; and " if any," as the apostle
says, " after they have escaped the pollution of the world,
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end
is worse with them than the beginning." " If they thus fall
away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance."
They are in danger of falling into hell. If men will live
after the flesh they must die. It is only by mortifying the
deeds of the body through the Spirit that they shall live.
He who stands still is not likely soon to reach heaven. He
who turns back tiu'us back to perdition. It is only by a
constant continuance in well-doing that men can obtain
glory, honour, and immortality.
Finally, supposing, then, that the person referred to by the
apostle is saved, it will be with difficulty, " as it Avere by fire."
It is only of those " who do these things" that it is said —
" and so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abimdantly
into the everlastino- kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ." If a man be " a partaker of like precious faith with
the apostles," he will be saved, even although he should not have
been so diligent in making the required addition to his faith
as he might and ought to have been, but he will sufi^er loss
— a loss, it may be, never to be made up. — Surely there is
enough in these statements respecting the natural results of
not complying with the apostle's injunction, powerfully to
move every Christian mind to " give all diligence to make our
calling and election sure" by " giving all diligence to add to
faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
brotherlv kindness, and charitv."
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 147
8. Tliat the most important advantages will he secured by
complying with the exhortation.
The last motive brought forward by the apostle, to induce
Christians to comply with his exhortation, is derived from the
advantages to be obtained by doing so. These are stated in
contrast with the disadvantages flowing from neglecting it.
The Christian who " gives all diligence to make his calling
and election sure" by " giving all diligence to add to his
faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
brotherly kindness, and charity," will become active and
fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ ; clear and far-sighted in reference to spiritual things ;
— he will habitually remember his having " been purged fi'om
liis old sins ;" " he will never fall, and so an entrance shall be
ministered to him abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." A very few words will
be enough to illustrate the nature of these blessings, show how
they natm'ally result from compliance with the apostle's ex-
liortation, and point out the force of the motive to such a
compliance.
They in whom the virtues enumerated in the fifth, sixth,
and seventh verses, exist and abound, are " made" (or become)
" neither barren (neither idle) nor unfruitful in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," i.e. they become very
active and fi'uitful. They could not comply with the exhor-
tation without being sj^iritually active ; and their compliance
with it increases their spiritual activity. He, in whom godli-
ness, brotherly kindness, and charity abound, will see abun-
dance of work for him in promoting the glory of God, in the
edification of the church, and the salvation of the world, and
feel a strong habitual wish to engage in it ; while an ener-
getic and enlightened faith will both urge to and guide him
in the discharge of the work, temperance will shield him
from many temptations to abandon or become slack in it, and
patience will strengthen him to bear whatever suffering the
performance of it may expose him to. Such a man will be
148 THE apostle's EXnORTATION. [PART I.
" stcdfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord" — not becoming " weary in well-doing" — not be-
coming " slothful," but on the contrary, more and more " dili-
gent in his business," which is the service of the Lord. The
soul of such a man is, as Howe says, " a paradise, a garden of
God. Here He walks and converses daily, delighted with its
fragrant fruits. The Lord Jesus is the Sun, and the know-
ledge of Him the quickening beams that cherish these fi'uits." ^
Or in the words of the prophet, — " He shall be as a tree
planted by the Avaters, and that spreadeth out her roots by
the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf
shall be green ; and shall not be careful in the year of di'ought,
neither shall refrain from yielchng finiit."
This activity is fi'uitfulness, and naturally leads to increased
fruitfulness. Such a man is, must be, useful. He is like " the
earth, which — being often rained on, and drinking in tliat
which falls on it, and brinmns forth herbs meet for him bv
whom it is dressed — receives blessing of God," and becomes
more and more fruitful under His smile — beino; blessed and
made a blessing ; — " filled with the fruits of righteousness,
wliich are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of
God."
Still farther, he who complies with the apostolic injunction
is not, like him who neglects it, " blind and cannot see afar
off." On the contrary, his " spiritual sense, exercised in
making a distinction between things that differ," — truth and
falsehood, good and evil, — becomes strengthened. A man's
knowledge of spiritual things grows with his spiritual experi-
ence. The holier a man is, the better is he hkely to under-
stand his Bible. Neglect of duty or commission of sin, benumbs
spiritual feeling and bedims spiritual vision. It is the prac-
tical, progressive Christian that " knows the doctrine Avhether
it be of God" — that understands what the natural man cannot
receive or know — that attains to " the frill assurance of under-
standing"— seeing clearly what less diligent Christians discern
1 Bless. oftheRight, p. 331.
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 149
but dimly — " seeing tlie King in His beauty, and beholding
the land yet very far oft'."
Another point in which the Christian, in whom the virtues
enumerated in the fifth, sixth, and seventh verses are and
abound, differs from him who lacks, is deficient in these things,
is, that he does not forget " that he has been purged fi'om his
old sins." He, by having a vigorous and enlightened faith,
and which proves itself to be so by its effects, has a habitual,
firm persuasion of the grand fundamental truth — the source
of hope and holiness — that Jesiis Christ, the Son of God,
has "purged our sins by" the sacrifice of "Himself" — and
" washed us from our sins in His own blood." He retains
a habitual impression of that truth, and of the obligations
rising out of it, and, which we rather think is the apostle's
leading idea, does not lose sight of his own personal interest
in the great atoning sacrifice and sanctifying Spirit of the
Saviour. The faith which shews its presence by its sanctify-
ing power, proves its presence too by its conscience-pacifying,
heart-tranquilizing infiuence. He is fr*eed from harassing
doubts and fears. He cannot doubt that, whatever he once
may have been, he is now "washed, sanctified, justified, in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
" Walking in the truth," he " knows that he is of the truth,"
and " his heart is assured before God." The man who is in
good health and sound mind needs no other proof that he is
not labouring under fatal disease.
Finally, he who does these things, and abounds in doing
them,^ shall never fall, but, on the contrary, shall persevere
to the end, and not merely be admitted into the heavenly
kingdom, but " have an entrance ministered to him abun-
^ And abounds in doing; them. — "What is meant is not the believer's
present abundance, or his superiority to others, but his own continual
growth in grace." — Dr J. Lillie. " Veritatem celeriter sequitur abun-
dantia." — Bengel. The expression intimates equally that these things
must be " in us j" and if they are, they must have been put into us, for
they are not naturally there, and that it is not enough to have them — ^v^e
must have them in abundance." — Adams.
150 THE apostle's EXIIORTATIOISr. [PAKT I.
clantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Sa\aour
.Tesns Christ." " He shall never falir In the measure in
which he does this, he shall be kept from error, sin, and spiri-
tual damage — he shall be j^reserved from falling away — he shall
be " kept by the power of God," through the faith to which
have been added "virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience,
godliness, brotherly kindness, charity." So long as he keeps
on steadily in this course, he cannot " turn back to perdition."
This is the course, the natural end of which is " the salvation
of the soul ;" and in the case of the Christian who has been
giving " all diligence to make his calling and election sure," by
giving all diligence to add \artue, etc., this salvation shall not
be " salvation as it were by fire."
The course prescribed by the apostle naturally leads to a
peaceful, happy death, and a joyful introduction into the glories
of immortalitv. Our Lord reisjus in heaven. He sits " on
the right hand of the Majesty on High" — " a Prince and a
Saviour" — " Lord of all" — " having all power in heaven and
earth." " His is the kingdom," and " that kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom." " He shall reign for ever and ever."
It is, indeed, said that He " will deliver up the kingdom to the
Father," but that does not mean that He shall cease to reign,
but that He shall hrlng hack the kingdom to the Father, by
putting down all opposing authority and power.^ Into this
kingdom Christians enter when thev go to be wath the Lord —
to be wdiere He is, both Lord and Christ, and to behold, and,
so far as the thing is possible, share in His royal honours.
For into this kingdom the soul of every Christian enters at
death ; and " when the end cometh," the whole redeemed
church, having obtained the redemption of the body, shall,
with their Prince at their head, be solemnly introduced, in the
presence of the assembled intelligent universe, into the full
possession of all the honovu's and felicities of " the kingdom
prepared for Him and them from the foundation of the world."
They who do the things enjoined by the apostle shall have
^ See " Resurrection of Life.'"
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 151
^' an abundant entrance ministered to them." The figure
has, it is supposed, been borrowed from the entrance of a ship
into the harbour with all her sails set — with the full advantage
of a fair wind and a rising tide ; naturally enough, by contrast,
suggesting the idea of those Christians who have been crimi-
nally lacking — have possessed, but not abounded., in these
things — and who (throvigh want of comfort, and by fore-
bodings which, in such a case, are likely to haunt the death-
bed ; and, it may be, too, by something but darkly shadowed
forth in the world beyond death), are like Paul's com-
panions in shipwreck, who escaped all safe to land, but
after a sad struggle, " some on boards, and some on broken
pieces of the ship."
The meaning and force of the illustration have been
most powerfully brought out by an accomplished living
preacher : " Be careful to cultivate and display, and to lead
forth as with constant gladness, in harmonious order, in all
their becoming grace and beauty, those virtues that are to
attend upon and adorn a religious life ; and at the close of
thy course thou shalt be met by an angelic choir, who shall
hail thy approach to the divine land with ready gratulation,
who shall gather about thee as an attendant company of
heavenly forms, while all that surrounded thee on earth, the
Christian graces, shall go with thee, a radiant train of glorious
associates ; thus shalt thou be ' brought with gladness and
rejoicing, and enter into the King's palace — thus shalt thou
^ enter into the joy of thy Lord' with choral symphonies
and solemn pomp, as one whom He shall delight to honour."
Or, you may take another illustration ft-om a vessel retmii-
ing after a long voyage, and being received and welcomed by
expectant friends. She has been absent for years — toiling
and trafficking in every sea — touching at the ports, and trad-
ing in the markets of many lands. Thus approaching at last
her desired haven — the harbour from which she set out,
whence loving thoughts went with her as she started on her
perilous way, and where anxious hearts are now wishing and
waiting for her return. She is descried in the distance : the
152 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
news spread ; all is excitement ; multitudes assemble — pier
and quay, beach and bank, are crowded with spectators as the
little craft pushes on, and every moment nears her destination.
There she is, worn and weather-beaten, it is true — covered
with the indications of sore travail and long service, and with
many signs of having encountered both battle and breeze.
But all is safe. Her goodly freight is secure and uninjured ;
her profits have been large; the merchandize she brings is
both rare and rich. She is coming along a sunny sea —
leaping and dancing, as if she were alive. Her crew are on
the deck, and, with straining eyes and palpitating hearts, are
looking towards the shore. A soft wind sw^ells the sails ; the
blue heavens are bending over the bark, as if smihng on her
course, while the very waves seem to run before her, turning
themselves about as if with conscious joy, clapping their
hands and mm-muring a welcome. How she bounds forward !
She is over the bar. She is ghding now in smooth water —
passing into port, and preparing to moor, and ckop her anchor
for the last time. Wl\i\e she does, there comes a shout from
the assembled spectators — the crowds that witness and welcome
her approach, loud as thunder, musical as the sea. Gladness
and greeting are on every hand — eloquent voices fill the air.
The vessel has received an abundant entrance : her crew
have been met with sjonpathetic congratulations ; are sm-
rounded by eager and glad friends, hailed with enthusiasm,
embraced with rapture, and accompanied to their homes with
exultation and song. How different had she come in a wreck,
or struck on a rock i lost her cargo, and her crew saved only
with difficulty and peril 1 and all this the consequence of some
grave neglect — ignorance, or incapacity, carelessness, or pre-
sumption, which attach on them the blame of the disaster.
Even in this case, they would have reasons for gi-atitude, deep
gratitude, that they were saved at all. Stripped as they were,
their fr-iends would welcome them ^^•ith love and joy ; but pity
and sadness would mingle with that welcome— congratulation
would sound like rebuke, or seem undeserved ; and the poor
mariners would require time to be reconciled to themselves.
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING AVITII IT. 153
Some such clifFerence may exist in the circumstances and
feelings of the saved." ^
How powerful, then, are the motives to comply with the
apostle's injunction ! All things are ready ; he who does not
comply must suffer loss ; to him who does comply is secured a
useful, honourable, happy life — a peaceful, probably a trium-
])hant, death — and, after death, an abundant entrance into the
everlasting; Idno-dom of our Lord and Saviovu* Jesus Christ.
When we reflect on the intrinsic excellence and reasonable-
ness of the duties enjoined, and on the power and persuasive-
ness of the motives m'ging the performance of them, we do
not wonder at the apostle's emphatic repetition — " Give all
diligence:" " Wherefore the rather mve all diliixence." The
attainment of the objects here recommended to our desire and
pui'suit, deserves diligence — all diligence. The immediate
object deserves to be sought with diligence. Is it not desirable
to have our " calling and election made sure" — to have satisfac-
tory evidence that we are among those of whom it is said,
" Whom He doth predestinate them He also calls, whom He
calls them He also justifies, whom He justifies them He also
glorifies?" Are not the means by which alone this end can be
secured wortliv of beincr souoht with all diligence ? What can
be compared, for intrinsic value, with " faith, and virtue, and
knowledge, and temperance, and patience, and godliness, and
brotherly kindness, and charity ? " What is honour, wealth,
power, learning, fame — aye, what are health and life in com-
parison with these ? These are invaluable blessings — intrin-
sically excellent, permanently pi'ecious. " They cannot be
gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for their price.
They cannot be valued with the gold of Opliir, with the
precious onyx, and the sapphire. The gold and the crystal
cannot equal them, and the exchange of them shall not be for
jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of the coral,
or of pearls ; for the price" of holiness, of which they are com-
ponent elements, " is above rubies." " The topaz of Ethiopia
^ Binney's " Tower Sermons."
154 THE apostle's exhortation. [part I.
cannot equal it, neither can it be valued with pure gold."
The smallest measure of true holiness outweighs, in real worth,
the largest measure of worldly good. These blessings are,
" in God's sight, of great price," and they are absolutely
necessary to man's true and permanent happiness. Is it not
worthy of every effort to escape fi*om spiritual barrenness and
blindness — fi'om falling into sin — from fallino- into hell I Is
it not desirable to be spiritually fruitful and far-sighted, to be
preserved faultless, and at last presented to the Father Judge,
by the Brother Redeemer, without spot, w ith great joy ? If
these things do not deserve our giving all diligence to obtain
them, wdiat can?
" Je\yels to these are empty toys,
And gold is sordid dust."
It is onlv in mvino; all diligence that we are encouraged to
expect these blessings. The slothftil and idle are not in the
way of obtaining them. They are, indeed, the gift of God,
but they are to be expected only in a persevering course
of duty. Those only who, " by a constant continiiance in
w^ell-doing, look for glorj", honom', and immortality," obtain
" eternal life," — " the gift of God through Jesus Christ our
Lord." The general rule holds here — " Nought precious
is obtained but what is painful too." The promises of Divine
grace encourage to diligence, but supersede not its necessity.
Without diligence we cannot become fit for heaven ; and
none are taken there but those wdio are fit for it. More-
over, the powerful obstacles, both fi'om without and within, to
our attaining these iuA aluable blessings, show" how necessary
it is that w'e give all diligence. Sin, that dwells in us, Satan,
our great enemy, and the world, by which he seeks to ensnare,
corrupt, and destroy us, are unremittingly active, and w^e
need to give all diligence to oppose their exertions. They
give all diligence ; and is it fit that xce should be idle ?
AVliat an encouragement, to know" that provision is made
both for our giving all diligence, and for our giving all
diligence securing its objects. " Strengthened with all might
SECT. IV.] MOTIVES FOR COMPLYING WITH IT. 155
in the inner man," — " strong in the Lord, and in the power
of His might," we may well be stedfast and immoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord ;" and assuredly, in
this case, our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord." " If,
through the Spirit, we mortify the deeds of the body, w^e shall
live." It is not less true, that " he that sows to the flesh shall
of the flesh reap corruption," than it is, that " he that sows to
the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." It has
been well said, " In the world men spare no pains, decline no
difficulties, fear no hazard, though they have nothing more
than probability — often a low measure of it — to excite and
encourage them in their undertakings, and shall we be insen-
sible and motionless, shall we not give all diligence, who have
nothing less than absolute security to encourage us in ours % "
What would we have, what can we have, more than the word
of Him who can do all things, but who cannot lie ? Surely,
then, every one of us shorild show ' the same diligence to the
full assm'ance of hope, to the end that we be not slothful, but
follow^ers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the
promises.'
These remarks will mislead, if they are not considered as
addressed solely to those " who have obtained like precious
faith" with the apostles. Tliey only can give diligence
towards the attainment of these blessings. Vii'tue, know-
ledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, and charity,
cannot exist as Christian graces without faith ; and the sal-
vation of the soul — the entrance into, and enjoyment of, tlie
everlasting kingdom — can be obtained only through faith and
patience ; it is " the end of our faith."
To those who are impenitent and unbelieving, our call
— ^the call of our Lord, is, " Repent and believe the Gospel."
Come into the way of holiness, that ye may walk along it ;
for it is the only way to true peace here — ^to perfect happiness
hereafter. Nothing prevents your coming into the way but
your own ignorance, unbelief, depravity, and wilfulness.
" Behold, I set before you an open door which no man may
shut." " Turn to the stronghold prisoners of hope." " Flee
156 THE apostle's resolutions [part II.
for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before you in the
Gospel." Listen to the call of mercy, believe the testimony of
God, embrace the promise of salvation, " receive the recon-
ciliation," and then, under the influence of "the Holy Ghost
shed forth abundantly, " through Jesus Christ the Saviom*,
on all who believe," " give diligence to make your calling
and election sure" (for then ye are among " the called, and
chosen, and faithful") — by " giving all diligence to add to
your taith virtue, and to %drtue knowledge, and to knowledge
temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience god-
liness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly
kindness charity." Your fruit will thus be " unto righteous-
ness, and the end will be everlasting life." " Consider what
has been said, and the Lord give you understanding in all
things," and make you, indeed, " wise unto salvation."
part II. THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS, AND THE GROUNDS
OF THEM.
2 Peter i. 12-21. — Wherefore I will not be negligent to put youalwaj's
in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established
in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this taber-
nacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrcince ; knowing that
shortly I must put off t/iis my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ
hath shewed me. Moreover, I will endeavour that ye may be able after
my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have
not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made known unto you the
power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His
majesty. For He received from God the Father honour and glory, when
there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, Tliis is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from
heaven we heard, when we were Avith Him in the Holy Mount. We have
also a more sure word of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn,
and the day-star arise in your hearts : knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came
not in old time by the will of man ; but holy men of God spake as thcj/
tvere moved by the Holy Ghost.
There is a peculiar interest attached to the dying thoughts
SECT. I.] AND THE GROUNDS OF THEM. 157
and last sayings of wise and good men. That interest be-
longs, in a high degree, to the paragraph now read. The
apostle, when he wrote these words, was " now such an one
as Peter the aced." Callino; to mind the words of his Lord,
in which He had signified to him " by what death he should
glorify God," — " When thou wast young thou girdedst thy-
self, and walkedst wdiither thou wouldest : but when thou
shalt be old, thou shalt stretch out thy hands, and another
shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldst not" —
and with the Cross full in His view and near at hand, antici-
pating the speedy accomplishment of the oracular prediction,
" Thou canst not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me
afterwards," he in spirit goes forth to take it up, that he may
" bear it after Jesus," — saying in effect, AAdth his beloved brother
Paul when waiting in prison in daily expectation of the stroke
of the headsman's sword — " I am now ready to be offered, and
the time of my departure is at hand." It is striking to notice
with what unrufiled tranquillit}', not unmixed with the " de-
sire to depart," the two apostles look forward to martja'dom,
and how similar are their employments in the immediate pro-
spect of it — Paul urging his beloved son Timothy to " endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and give ftill proof
of his ministry;" and Peter " stirring up the pure minds" of
the brethren " by way of remembrance," that even " after his
decease, they might be able" to be " mindful of the holy com-
mandment delivered unto them by the apostles of the Lord
and Saviour."
The paragraph presents us with two great topics for con-
sideration— the apostle's resolutions, and the grounds on
which these resolutions are based.
The apostle's resolutions are two — First, to be " alw^ays, so
long as he was in this tabernacle, stirring them up by putting
them in remembrance" of the truths stated in the previous
context ; and secondly, to " endeavour that, after his decease,
they might still have these things always in their remembrance."
The grounds on which these resolutions rest are three —
First, a deep sense of the truth and importance of the state--
158 THE apostle's resolutions. [patjt it,
ment lie had just made in the preceding paragraph, indicated
in the word " wherefore ;" — Secondly, a knowledge founded
on an intimation made to him by his Lord, that his death
was near at hand : " Knowing that shortly I must put off
this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath
shewed me ;" — and thirdly, a firm conviction, grounded on
miracle and prophecy, that in teaching the doctrine of Christ,
he and his brethren had only declared divinely revealed
truth : " We have not followed cininingly-devised fables,
when we made known to you the power and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty :
for He received from God the Father honour and glory, M-hen
there came such a voice fi'om the Excellent Glory, ' This is
My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased ;' and this voice
which came fi'om heaven we heard when we were with Him
in the Holy Mount. We have also a more sure Mord of
prophecy — or rather, we have the proy)hetic word more con-
firmed— whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light
shining in a dark place, till the day dawn and the day-star
arise in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of
the Scriptures is of private interpretation ; for the prophecy
came not in old time (or as it is in the margin, at any time)
by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost."
As the apostle's sense of the truth and importance of these
statements, and his knowledge that his death was near at
hand, viewed as grounds of his resolutions to keep his readers
in remembrance of those things while he lived, and to make
provision for their not forgetting them after his death, — owe
all their aptitude to his conviction that, in teaching the
doctrine of Christ, he was onlv declarino; divinely revealed
truth, there is an obvious propriety in giving the first place in
our illustrations of these grounds to that which is last men-
tioned by the apostle. — Such is the outline which I A\-ish to
fill up in the sequel, and rude though it be, it may be of use
in guiding my thoughts, and assisting your apprehension and
"memory.
SECT. 1.] FmST RESOLUTION. 159
§ 1. THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS.
Let us then, in tlie first place, briefly attend to tlie apostle's
RESOLUTIONS
1. To keep them in mind of ichat he had taught them ichile
he lived.
And first, he resolves to stir up, so long as he lived, those
to whom he v^as writing, by putting them in remembrance of
the statements made in the preceding context — " I will not
be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these
things, though ye know them, and be established in the pre-
sent truth ; yea I think it meet, as long as I am iu this taber-
nacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance,"
In this resolution our attention is naturally turned first to
what the apostle resolves to do — "to put them in remembrance"
of the things he had stated, which he calls " the present truth,"
though they " knew them and were established in them:"
then to the object for which he meant to do this — to " stir
them up :" then to the manner in which he w^as determined
to do it — not perfLinctorily but diligently — " I will not be negli-
gent ;" not occasionally but habitually — " always;" not for a
limited time, but during life — " as long as I am in this taber-
nacle : and, finally, to the j^i'opriety of his forming and exe-
cutino; such a resolution — " I think it meet." A few words
on each of these will sufiice for the illustration of this part of
the subject.
As to what the apostle resolves to do, — it is, as he says, " to
put them in remembrance of these things." The expression
" these things," plainly refers to the things spoken of in the
preceding paragraph — the things respecting their peculiar
character and condition as Christians — persons " who had ob-
tained like precious faith" with the apostles, in the righteous-
ness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (ver. 1) ; persons
" who had received grace and peace through the knowledge
of God and of Jesus Christ ovu' Lord," and who needed to
1 60 TITE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PART IT.
have this grace and peace "multiplied" to them (ver. 2);
persons who had been "called" (ver. 3) and "elected" (ver.
10) by God ; — respecting their duty to " make their calling
and election sure " (ver. 10) ; respecting the manner in which
this was to be done — by " adding to faith virtue, knowledge,
temperance, and patience, and godliness, brotherly kindness,
and charity" (ver. 5—7) ; and respecting- the varied and
jiowerftd motives which urge them to the discharge of their
duty in this way — the abundant provision which had been
made for this purpose (ver. 3, 4), the unhappy consequences
which would result fi*om neglecting this duty, and the happy
consequences which would result fi'om performing it (ver.
7, 11).
The statements made on these subjects are termed " the
present truth."^ It has been common to suppose that the
force of this phrase is, " that truth, which, owing to peculiar
circumstances, is at the present time specially interesting and
important," and that the apostle refers to the doctrine ' that
final salvation is to be sought by, and expected in, a constant
continuance in well-doing' — a doctrine which, important at
all times, had a superadded importance imparted to it at this
time fi'om the Antinomian dogmas and practices which the
false teachers, so graphically described in the second chapter,
had extensively introduced. It seems, however, scarcely
possible to bring this sense out of the original expression,
which just means " the truth which is present with you" —
being nearly equivalent to the Apostle Paul's phrase, " the
Gospel which I have preached unto you, which also ye have
received, and wherein ye stand."^
The persons to whom the apostle wrote knew these truths,
and were established in them. They had been taught them,
and had received, and continued to believe them, on Avhat
appeared satisfactory evidence. They " stood in the true
grace of God," which they had received not in vain, but
^ -TTupom'/i d'kridsioe..
- Pott interprets it "religio quam hue usque professi estis."
SECT. I.] FIRST RESOLUTION, 161
they needed to be cautioned " lest any of them," Hke
so many others, " being led away with the errors of the
wicked, should fall from their stedfastness." For men may
forget what they know. They may be brought to doubt of
what they now believe. The truth and its evidence may slip
out of mind, and become as void of influence, as if they did
not exist. The anxieties, the labours, the pleasures, the afliic-
tions of the world, are in danger of thus di-awing away the
mind fi*om the truth. AVdiat is not thought of cannot exert
influence, and is in danger of being forgotten. Evidence
needs to be often reviewed to have permanent power over the
mind, and, in consequence of neglecting such a review, and
allowing objections to enter into the mind and remain there
unchallenged, what once was felt as absolutely certain begins
to be thought of as doubtful, and ere long appears as if it
were but a hallucination or a dream. The apostle was
aware of all this, and hence he was resolved to keep those to
whom he was writing in mind of the truth and its evidence,
on subjects so closely connected with their most important
duties and highest interests. He was convinced — with his
brother Paul, who, though persuaded that the Koman Chris-
tians were " full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able
also to admonish one another," writes boldly to them " to put
them in mind " — that the Gospel must, in order to exert its
saving efficiency, be " kept in memory." " Precept miist be
on precept, precept upon precept ; line upon line, line upon
line." And if this be neglected, men who have had the Gospel
very plainly taught them, may, instead of being fitted to
become " teachers of others, erelong need some one to teach
themselves again what be the first principles of the oracles of
God." Ministers of the Gospel should imitate the apostle.
They are not to be everlastingly reiterating the same things ;
they do not need to do so — for the topics necessary to
the right discharge of their functions as teachers are very
numerous and varied — they have a wide field to expatiate in ;
they have inexhaustible stores out of which they may bring
things new as well as old ; but they are not to seek to
L
1C)2 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II.
gratify the love of novelty, either in thcmsehes or in their
hearers, at the hazard of inem-ring the disapprobation of
their Master, or endangering the soids of their people. It
is a weighty observation of the honest and judicious Scott :
" The frequent discussion of practical subjects does not
prove acceptable to the majority in some congi'egations
where the doctrines of gi'ace are preached ; so that ministers
will often be tempted to omit them or to huny them over
in a general and superficial manner, which exceedingly tends
to deceive souls and to diffuse a false and loose religion."
Woe to the ministers who fall before such a temptation ! —
To speak the same things in reference to the doctrine and law
of Christ, for Christian ministers ought not to be grievous.
For their hearers it is not only safe but necessaiy. In order
that anything be thoroughly learned and pennanently re-
membered, there must be much repetition.
The object which the apostle had in vieAv in thus putting
those to whom he wrote in remembrance was, that they might
be " stirred up :" " I think it meet to stir you up by putting
you in remembrance" — " I stir up your pure minds by way
of remembrance." Action is the end of knoAvledge. To
know truth is in order to do duty. The apostle's object in
stating and re-stating divine truth was not to make men
ingenious speculators and dexterous controversialists. It was
to make them active in doing, patient in suffering, the will of
God — "good soldiers of Jesus Christ;" to waken them out
of the ch'eams in which the stupifying influence of that most
potent of all enchantresses, " the present evil world," is apt to
make them indiilge ; to banish the languor of sloth — to pre-
vent them fi'om becoming " weaiy in well-doing ;" to make
them " give all diligence " towards the discharge of all duty ;
to make them " abound in the work of the Lord," " forgetting
the things which are behind, reaching forth towards those
that are before — pressing towards the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Such was the
object of the apostle in his resolution to put those to whom he
wrote in mind of the great principles of Christian truth. It
SECT. I.] FIRST RESOLUTION. 163
was to stir up into active, vigorous exercise, every principle
of action — gratitude, regard to interest, hope, and fear — to
secure the great end — the abiuidant entrance into the ever-
lasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
As to the manner in which the apostle was determined to
put them in remembrance, that he might thereby stir them
up — it was to be, first — not performed only, but diligently and
with all his heart — " I will not be negligent," i.e. not merely,
" I will not neglect to do it, but I will not be negligent in
doing it." ^ He was determined to seize every opportmiity for
this purpose. He was resolved to exemplify Paul's exhorta-
tion to Timothy as to the right way of preaching the Word,
" Be instant in season and out of season" — to press it on men's
attention whether they were willing or unwilling to listen —
" whether they would hear or whether they would forbear," i.e.
refuse to hear. The duties of the Christian ministry must be
energetically performed. The minister must throw his whole
soul and heart into them. If he would have his hearers " give
diligence" — "give all diligence" to do their duty, he must not
be negligent in doing his. He who seems in danger of falling
asleep, is not likely to stir up others.
Peter had too strong a sense of the authority of his Master,
and too deep a sjanpathy with the hazards and miseries of
mortal men, to be negligent in the discharge of his duties.
And as he was determined to perform them not perfunctorily,
but diligently, so was he to perform them, not only occasion-
ally, but habitually — constantly. " I will put you always in
remembrance." I mil not only now and then call yom^ at-
tention to these things, but they shall be the staple articles of
my teaching : What is essential to the salvation of the sinner
and the edification of the saint should be the ordinary theme
of the Christian minister. There is something very far wrong
in a Christian teacher's estimate of his duties and responsibi-
lities, if he can be heard, even for a very few Sabbaths in
succession, without putting his hearers in mind of the great
1 ((
Est y.itomi;, says Semler, = dabo oninem operam quam possum."
I(j4 THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PART II.
elementaiy principles of Cliristian faith and duty, by which
both saints and sinners are most hkely to be stirred up — the
things whereby men live, and in wdiich is the life of the soul.
Still farther, the apostle determines to execute the resolu-
tion to stir up men's minds by putting them in remembrance,
not only diligently and habitually, but perseveringly : " as
long as I am in this tabernacle, I will stir you up by pvitting
you in remembrance. " So long as I am in this tabernacle,"
is a beautiful figui'ative expression for ' so long as I continue
to live in this fi'ail, mortal body.'^ " Our earthly house of
this tabernacle " is contrasted by the Apostle Paul with the
resiuTection body — " the building of God, a house not made
Avith hands, eternal in the heavens." The expression before
us is just equivalent to " So long as I live, I will stir you up
by putting you in remembrance." Peter had not long to live,
and he knew this. He was old and feeble. But whatever
strength he had, wdiether of body or of mind, he was disposed
to devote it to the service of God and His Chui'ch. His
jubilee, had he arrived at it, would not have fomid him
desirous of emancipation from his Master's service. He had
his ear nailed to his Master's door post, and Abashed to be His
servant for ever. His desu'e was, that the executioner might
find him engaged in putting the brethren in remembrance
of the law of the Lord. It is not for us to choose for our-
selves, yet I believe the true-hearted minister of Christ
cannot help wishing that he may be allowed to die at his
post — that, as the excellent Flavel has it, " our life and our
labour may end together." So long as he has a voice he
would wish it to be employed in Avarning sinners, and in stimu-
lating, directing, comforting, saints. "Were I but able for
it," said a dying minister of Christ, " I would willingly work
as a common labourer six days of the week to be allowed to
preach Christ on the seventh." Eveiy Christian minister,
who at all deserves the name, cordially sympathises in the
1 This is a figure to be found in almost every language. Eisner, Al-
berti, and Welstein on 2 Cor. v. 1, may be consulted for examples.
SECT. I.] SECOND RESOLUTION. 165
sentiment still more strikingly expressed by om* great apostle,
" To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this
grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
misearchable riches of Christ." What a privilege ! — to be
allowed to commend Christ's excellencies on earth, down to
the very period when we shall be allowed to commence our
eternal celebration of them in heaven !
There is yet another thought expressed in the apostle's
statement of his first resolution, and that is, his sense of the
propriety of forming such a resolution : "I think it meet
to stir you up by putting you in remembrance " — meet for
you, meet for me. I think it meet for you; for you need
to be stirred up, by being put in remembrance. Though
you knovv^ the truth, you are in great danger of letting
slip the things you have heard — of becoming weary and
faint in your minds. I think it meet for me; for " should
not the shepherd feed the flock?" — should not the steward
superintend the household, and " give every one his portion
of suitable food in due season ? " It is meet especially for me
— to whom the Lord said again and again, " Feed my sheep,
Feed my lambs," — " to put you in mind because of the
grace," the high favour of apostleship " that is given me of
God." It is meet for m.e, so long as I am, in this tabernacle ;
for what is the use of life to me, who am His, but to serve
Him. He is the Lord — my Lord ; I am His servant, and
yours, for His sake. In honouring Him, in edifying you, I
wish to live and to die.
2. To use means that they should not forget his instructions,
when he ivas dead.
The apostle's second resolution is, that he would endeavour
that they " might be able after his decease to have these things
in remembrance." It is a great comfort to an old Chris-
tian minister, anticipating approaching dissolution, that his
death is to make little or no difference to the cause of Christ.
The under shepherds are " not suffered to continue, by reason
of death," but, blessed be God, " the Chief Shepherd," though
IGfl THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PART II.
He too, once was dead, " dieth no more. Death can never
again have dominion over Him." " All flesh is grass, and all
the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth,
and the flower thereof falleth away ; but the word of the Lord
endureth for ever." The residue of the Spirit is with Him to
Avhom the Father hath given the Holy Ghost not by measm-e.
The God of Elijah can, if he so wills it, endow Elisha with a
seven-fold measure of his master's gifts ; and Solomon may
accomplish that for which David felt it high honour, true
happiness, to have been permitted and enabled to prepare.
" Though mortal shepherds dwell in dust,
The aged, and the youiig,
The wp.tchful eye in darkness clos'd,
And mute the instructive tongue,
The Eternal Shepherd still survives,
New comfort to impart ;
His eye still guides us, and His voice
Still animates our heart."^
So, I doubt not, thought Peter, when within a short Avay
of his bloody grave and his heavenly rest. " Behold I die,
but God will be with yovi." " Jesus is the same yesterday,
to-dav, and for ever." Yet love to his INIaster and the Church
whom He purchased with His owai blood — a desire to honour
Him and edify them — makes him wish to speak even from the
tomb and from the skies.-
1 Doddridge.
2 The view which the Rhemists give of this passage is a striking ex-
ample of Romanist perversion of Scripture : " These words though they
may be easily altered by construction into diverse senses not untrue, yet
the correspondence of the parts of the sentence going before and follow-
ing, give most plain this meaning — that as, during his life, he would not
omit to put them in memory of the things he taught them, so after his
death, which he knew should be shortly, he would not fail to endeavour
that they might be mindful of the same : signifying that his care over
them should not cease by death, and that, by his intercession before God
after his departure, he would do the same thing for them that he did
before, in his life, by teaching and preaching. This is the sense which
the Greek Scholies speak of." Well might Benson say, " Surely it is a
sign of a desperate cause, and that men are put to most wretched shifts
SECT. I.] SECOND RESOLUTION. 167
It is a wonderful thing, that by means of certain arbitrary
characters, impressed on suitable materials, the thoughts and
feelings of men may be embalmed — not dead, but alive — and,
if there was originally enough of life in them, may continue
to instruct and delight the successive generations of men,
from age to age, to the end of time. Peter's spirit, not un-
influenced by the Holy Spirit, determined, that the Christian
brethren whom he loved, should, by the use of this wondi-ous
art, " be able, after his decease, to have these things always in
their remembrance ;" and in his two golden Epistles he has,
for eighteen centuries, been uttering his "testimony and his
exhortation" (1 Ep. v. 12) to the chm'ches of the saints.
Wlio can compute the amount of heavenly light and influence
which, during these centimes, have streamed forth from these
holy letters into the minds and hearts of the saints ? As the
dead whom Samson slew at his death were more than those
he slew in his life, so the number that Peter has converted
and edified since he left the earth, is incomparably greater
than the seals of his apostolic ministry which he had while on
earth, though he did what, probably, no man has ever done
since — numbered three thousand converts on a single day by
a single sermon. Arid who can tell how much Peter's happi-
ness in heaven is increased, by the knowledge that his holy
resolution is yet to serve its object, in promoting the edification
and comfort of a world full of Christians during the lightsome
ages of millennial glory ?
Nor is the desire expressed in the apostle's resolution pecu-
liar to him. It originates in principles which lie deep in the
bosom of every right-hearted Christian minister — of every
right-hearted Christian man. It has been justly remarked,
to maintain a party or faction, when they make use of such proofs. Here
is not one word of departed saints interceding for the living ; neither do
the Scriptures anywhere intimate any such thing. St Peter's most ob-
vious meaning is, that he was now writing a Second Epistle to leave with
the Christians after his death, and to preserve the remembrance of such
things always among them."
1 1 Ep. V. 12.
168 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II.
tluit " when a Cliristian grows old, and draws near to death,
his sense of the value of DiWne truth by no means diminishes
as he approaches the eternal world, and fi-om its borders
surveys the past, and looks on to what is to come." A\niien
he remembers the benefits Avhich the truths of religion have
conferred on him in life, and feels the good hope through
grace, with which they inspire him as he stands on the brink
of the grave — in the neighbom-liood of the judgment seat —
and when he thinks what that Gospel, universally known and
believed, would do, in transforming earth into paradise, and in
making its inhabitants fit to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints in light, the desire that the light of that truth may
soon become universal like the light of the sun, swells into a
passion, which finds its vent in David's last words, " Let the
whole earth be filled vdih His glory." And this desu'e natui-
ally enough, expresses itself in more than words. He will,
with the apostle, " endeavour that, after his decease, men may
have in remembrance" those words of truth and grace, which
were to him " spirit and life." He will do what he can that
his children and children's children, to the latest generation,
may know them, and love them, and live by them. He \^^ll,
by the communication of his substance, contribute to the sup-
port of missionaries and the circulation of the Bible. He may
not be able to write books, but, by contributing to associations
for the publication and distribution of the best books, he will
seek to be extensively and permanently useful.
" Every man," to borrow the language of a living writer,
" every man who can write a good book owes it to the church
and to the world to do it." If it be a very good book, the
world will not willingly let it die, and it may not perish but
in the funeral pile of the earth ; and even though, like many
good books, it should perish — during its life it may wipe away
many a tear, relieve many a doubt, soothe many a soitow,
save souls from death, and hide multitudes of sin. ^linisters
of Christ, especially, should be animated with Peter's spirit —
they should, as a matter of duty, fi-om an early period of their
ministr}-, begin to lay up, and finish with the utmost care.
SECT. I.] SECOND KESOLUTiON. 169
what may be, when they have put off this tabernacle, a
valuable and availing treasvire to the congregation, to the
chiu'ch, and to the world. This would have a good influence
on their own minds. It woidd add to the edification of their
people, even now : and the number of really good books, by
no means too great, would be increased.
It is not an unworthy ambition to share, though in far more
limited measure, in the holy delight mth which the knowledge
that in heaven they are still honouring God by conducing
to the salvation of men, must refresh the spirits of those just
men made perfect, who wore on earth the ever to be honoured
names of Owen, and Baxter, and Howe, and Bunyan, and
Leighton, and Henry, and Doddridge, and Watts, and
Edw^ards, and New^ton, and Fuller, and Wardlaw,
whose usefulness is likely to grow Avith the ever extending
range of the English language, to the end of time. Who can
tell of how much good a little tract, like M'Laurin's, " On
Glorying in the Cross of Christ," — instinct with the living-
fire of genius and pm*e Christianity — has been and may yet
be productive'? aye, wdio can estimate the benefits which
the nameless author of that incomparable narrative, "Poor
Joseph," has conferred, and will yet confer, on mankind'?
" This little Epistle of Peter," as Barnes well says, " has shed
light on the path of men for eighteen centuries, and will con-
tinue to do so until the second coming of the Saviour." It
goes to soften the pang of separation between a Christian
pastor and his flock — when he knows that, after his decease,
they Avill be able to remember the things which he has taught
them — and when they know that, even when dead, he will
continue to speak to them, the pages as they peruse them,
strangely reflecting the countenance and form hid in the grave,
and echoing back a voice which they must hear no more for
ever. — So much for the illustration of the apostle's twofold
resolution — that he would not, so long as he was in this taber-
nacle, be negligent to stir them up, by putting them always
in remembrance of the great principles of Christian truth and
law ; and that he would endeavour that they might be able,
170 THE apostle's resolutiuxs. [part II.
after his decease, to huxe these things always in remem-
brance.
I conclude these illustrations with a single reflection, which
seems, naturally enough, to rise out of the statements we have
made. How benignant is the spirit of true Christianity, as
manifested in the character of the Apostle Peter, as that is
developed in the passage w^e have been illustrating ! How
benignant in its influence on himself, how benignant in its
outgoings towards the church and the world ! Peter was now
an old — it may be a very old man; his life had been through-
out a laborious one ; his trials had been many and severe, and
he was living every day in the expectation of a most painful
and ignominious death ; yet how tranquil, how hapj)y is he !
How calmly does he speak of putting off" his tabernacle I The
old worn-out apostle is one of the happiest men out of heaven.
Happy in doing his Master's work, he would not exchange
places with the Roman Csesar — happy in the hope of soon
entering into his ISIaster's joy, though it must be through the
agonies of crucifixion. The steady look he takes of the cross,
most solemn but unblenching, when he says, " Evejst as our
Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me," speaks plainer than words.
" None of these things move me, neither comit I my life dear
unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and
the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to
testify the Gospel of the grace of God." Past labours and
sufferings excite no regrets; death at hand, in its most terrific
form, rouses no terrors. Wlio can unfold — who can under-
stand, the benignant power of the principle which, in such cir-
cumstances, can secure calm composiu'e, entire satisfaction,
both in the retrospect and the prospect I Christ knowai, dwell-
ing in the heart by faith, tnisted in, loved, enjoyed — was that
li\ ing principle ; and what are the external cu'cumstances of
destitution, suffering, and alann, amid which that principle,
which made Peter the aged so happy, cannot sustain and
comfort ?
And the spirit of Christianity proves its benignity, not only
l)y its influence on the apostle's personal comfort, but l)y the
SECT. I.] SECOND RESOLUTION. 171
dispositions with wbicli it filled hini in reference to the cluu'ch
and the world. How has it counteracted the tendency to
that indisposition to benevolent exertion — selfish indifference
to the happiness of others, that is often the nnamiable
character of old age ! How warm are his affections — how
ready is he to expend his waning energies in the service of
his brethren !
Peter is a proper model for aged Christians, and especially
for affed Christian ministers. We admire — we love the bene-
volent, strong-hearted, active-minded, old apostle. Let us
glorify God in him, and acknowledge what he was always
ready to acknowledge — " By the grace of God I am what I
am."
We profess to be of the same religion as the Apostle Peter.
Have we really di*ank into its spirit ? Is the mind — is the
heart in us that was in him ? Are we, like him, ready to
serve one another in love as brethren, in seeking to stir up
each other, by being mutual remembrancers of what we
are all too apt to forget ? Have we, like him, a regard, not
only to the present, but to coming generations of men, and of
Christians ? Are we desu'ous of serving our own generation
by the will of God ? and of still exerting, even when we have
fallen on sleep, a beneficial influence on those who are to come
after us ? We are Christians only in the degree in which we
are animated by such dispositions.
If we would be happy, useftil Christians, like Peter, we must
seek, like Peter, to have a familiar and intimate acquaintance
with om" common Lord and Master. That was the secret of
his satisfied review of a life so full of labour — of his composed
anticipation of a death so fall of torture and of shame. ' He is
worthy for whom I have suflfered — for whom I am to suffer
all this.' In the exercise of faith — in a devotional perusal of
the Evangelical History, we may do much to obtain such an
acquaintance. Let us, in this way, "company with" Peter and
the other apostles " all the time that the Lord Jesus went out
and in among them;" let us follow Him from the manger to
the cross — to the throne. Let us seek to be Avith Him in the
172 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II.
lioly mount, contemplating the honour and glory which He
there received from the Father, and listening to the voice from
the most Excellent Glory — " This is My beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased, hear ye Him." Let us go with Him to
Gethsemane — not to sleep — but to watch and weep with Him
there. Let His words. Follow Me, never be forgotten by us.
Let us hear them from the cross — let us hear them fi'om the
throne. It is because we forget Him that we neglect our
duty and lose our comfort. We cannot be as happy, as
amiable, as useful, as Peter, but by becoming, like him,
thoroughly Christian.
And oh ! how happy, how amiable, how useful, might we be
in life ; how calm, resigned, hopeful, triumphant, in death,
were Ave but as thoroughly acquainted with our Lord Jesus,
as we might be, with our means of knowino- Him in the re-
velations of His word, in the influences of His Spirit. Wlien
we look at Christianity, as it appears in such men as Peter
and Paul, and then look inward — who can help saying. If
this be Christianity, am I a Christian ? Much reason have
we to be ashamed, but none to despair. Christ, the Holy
Spirit, the Gospel, human nature, are the same as ever.
Peter and Paul were just renewed men. It was not their
miraculous gifts or high offices that made them so holy and
happy. And He who created them anew in Christ Jesus to
good works, can create us anew. There is no height of
Christian happiness, holiness, amiableness, useftilness, to
which it is presumption in any of us to aspire ; and if we
wish to know how these aspirations are likely to be gratified,
we have only to look to the last verse of the Epistle — " Grow
in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Clu'ist.
To Him be glory, both now and ever. Amen."
§ 2. THE GROUNDS OF THE APOSTLE'S RESOLUTIONS.
The grounds on which the apostle's resolutions were based,
are stated in the tAvelfth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and following
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 173
verses : " Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you
always in remembrance of these things, though ye kno\v
them, and be established in the present truth." " Knowing
that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle even as our
Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover, I will en-
deavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these
things always in remembrance. For we have not followed
cunningly-devised fables when we made known to you the
power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-
witnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the
Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice
to Him fi'om the Most Excellent Glory, This is My beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came
from heaven we heard when we were with Him in the holy
mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; where-
unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth
in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the day-star arise in
your hearts : Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
1. His conviction that what he and his brethrefi had taught
them was true.
Let us proceed now to remark, that the principal founda-
tion of the apostle's two resolutions was his conviction, on the
ground of his having witnessed the performance of miracles
and the fulfilment of predictions, that the testimony which he
and his apostolic brethren had given forth, respecting the
power and coming of Jesus Christ, was divinely revealed
truth : " We have not followed cunningly-devised fables
when we made known to you the power and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.
We have also a more sure Avord of prophecy, to which ye do
well to take heed ; for the prophecy is not of private interpre-
tation, having come not by the will of men, but holy men
having spoken as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
174 THE apostle's resolutions. [part il
For the satisfactory illustration of this principal ground of
the apostle's two resolutions, it will be necessary that we at-
tend first to the Apostolic Testimony — they " declared the
power and coming of our Lord Jesus;" secondly, to the
(Iround of this Testimony — their having witnessed the per-
formance of miracles and the fulfilment of predictions ; and
thirdly, to the Practical Exhortation, strengthened by appro-
priate reasons, to the diligent study of the Prophetic Word,
with which the apostle concludes the paragraph.
(1.) The Apostolic Testimony.
Let us first consider the account we have here of the Apos-
tolic Testimony. The apostles declared " the power and com-
ing of our Lord Jesus." It is, I think, universally admitted
among interpreters, that, like " glory and virtue," in the close
of the third verse, the phrase " power and coming" does not
signify two different things : as " glory and virtue" is equiva-
lent to ' glorious power,' so " power and coming" is equiva-
lent to powerful coming, or ' coming with po'wer.' The
apostles declared " the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
Under the Old Testament economv the IVIessiah was known
as "He that cometh,"^ and John, in his First Epistle (chap.
V. 6) says, " This is He that came — Jesus the Christ." There
are various comings of our Lord mentioned in the New Tes-
tament. A coming in the flesh ; a coming in the dispensa-
tion of the Gospel, " preaching peace to them who are afar
off, and to them who are nigh;" a spiritual coming to His
own people, individually, and abiding with them ; a coming
to destroy His " murderers, and burn up their city ;" and a
coming for the complete salvation of His people, and the
destruction of His enemies. Every one of these comings is a
poAverful coming — a coming in Avhich power is manifested.
The expression here obviously refers to one or other of what
^ Psul. cxviii. 20.
SECT. IT.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 175
may be called the principal comings of our Lord — His coming
in the flesh or His coming to judgment.
Interpreters are divided in their opinions on this question.
Many refer it to our Lord's second coming, and they have
this to say for their view, that the word here rendered com-
ing^ is never used in the New Testament to describe the
incarnation, but is confined to the coming at the destruction
of Jerusalem, and at the end of the world. Little more, how-
ever, can be said for this view ; whereas much may be said
on the other side. The word in itself, meaning just " coming"
or " presence," is as applicable to the first as to the last com-
ing, and in the earliest Christian writers is used indiscrimin-
ately in reference to both ; and, what chiefly weighs with me,
the context seems absolutely to requ.ire us to miderstand it of
His first coming. The apostle plainly means to give the
evidence on which he and his fellow-apostles declared the
powerful coming of the Lord Jesus, and states that it was
(1.) that they had been "eye-witnesses of His majesty" —
which seems to refer to the same thing as His powei'ful com-
ing ; and (2.) that they had the prophetic word more con-
firmed in reference to this powerful coming. This exactly
suits the first coming. They were among those, who, Luke
says, were " from the beginning eye-witnesses ;" and could all
say what Andrew said to Peter, "We have found Him of
whom INIoses in the law and the prophets did write ;" — ' we
have seen the truth of the prophetic word confirmed by that
wondrous conformity between its declarations and the leading
traits in the character and events in the life of Jesus, which
prove his Messiahship — a conformity evidencing equally the
divine origin of the prophecy, and the divine mission of the
Saviour.' The apostles were not — could not be — eye-wit-
nesses of Christ's second coming, which is yet future, nor have
the prophecies in reference to it been yet confinned by ful-
filment. Besides, the evidence brought forward bears but in-
directly on our Lord's second coming — bears on it just in the
' TTupovaix.
17() THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PAKT IT.
same way in which it bears on any doctrine taught by our
Lord ; and there is a manifest contrast stated between " cun-
n in oly-de vised fables" and the apostles' testimony. Now,
fables are narratives — not predictions. On these grounds,
though I grant the passage has its difficulties, I prefer the
interpretation that refers the powerful coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ to His first comiufy.
It is a satisfaction to find that Calvin, Avho is as judicious
an interpreter as he is a profound theologian, takes this
^■iew of the phrase. " It is not doubtful," he says, " that the
apostle in these words meant to give a comprehensive sum-
mary of Christianity, as certainly it contains nothing but
Christ, ' in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and know-
ledge.' But he divides it into two parts, stating, first, that
Christ was manifested in flesh, and then, what power and
efficacy belonged to Him as thus manifested. Thus we have
the whole Gospel, where we know that He who was promised
of old as our Redeemer, has come from heaven, put on our
nature, lived in our world, died and rose again ; and when
we see the design and end of all this, namely, that He should
be God with us, that He might give us a pledge of our adop-
tion ; that, imbued with His Spirit, He might purify us fi*om
the defilements of the flesh, and consecrate us into temples to
God ; that He might raise to heaven us who were sunk to
hell ; that by the sacrifice of His death He might expiate the
sins of the world ; that He might reconcile us to His Father ;
that He might be to us the author of justification and life" —
in all this manifesting power. This is His coming — His
powerful coming.
The Apostolic Testimony was, ' Christ the Messiah — the
promised deliverer — is come; Jesus of Nazareth is He; and His
coming has been a powerful coming as the prophets predicted
— a coming with power.' The grand distinctive doctrine of
Christianity was this, " Jesus " — the Messiah " is come in the
flesh " — " He that should come is come." " The spirit that
confesseth this," says the apostle, " is of God; the spirit which
does not confess this, is not of God, but is the spirit of Anti-
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OP THEM. 177
clirist." This coming, iudeed, commenced in the weakness of
infancy in the manger at Bethlehem, and during the abode
with us to which it was introductory. He was weak as one of us,
and, ere He left our world. He was " crucified in weakness,"
powerless in death. Yet was it a powerful coming. " The
power of the Highest" was put forth in the formation of that
holy human nature in which, as in a tabernacle, He " dwelt
among us." " God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost and
with power." He had " power to forgive sins." " His word
was with power" over the elements — the winds and the waves
obeyed Him ; over the bodies of men — at His voice the
dumb spake, the deaf heard, the blind saw, the diseased
became wdiole, the dead lived ; over the minds of men — He
had but to speak the word, and men forsook all and followed
Him; over evil spirits, — "with power He commanded the mi-
clean spirits, and they came out of those possessed by them."
He exercised creative power — a few loaves and fishes becoming,
under His hands, an abundant meal for thousands. " He had
power," and He exercised it, " to lay down His life and to
take it up again." He not only possessed power of the highest
kind and in the largest measure, and exercised it. He com-
municated it — He gave His disciples " power and authority
over all devils, and to cure diseases." And even when He
was weak yet was He strong : " Christ crucified was the
power of God," — powerful to expiate innumerable sins, and to
save innumerable, otherwise hopelessly, lost immortals. On
the cross He triumphed over principalities and powers, and
in dying " He destroyed death, and him that had the power
of death." Surely this was a powerful coming — a coming in
power. To the question, "Who is this that cometh?" the
reply is, " He that speaks in righteousness, mighty to save."
This then is the Apostolic Testimony — ' The Christ is come ;
Jesus is He ; and Ilis coming is a powerful coming.'
(2.) The EriJeiice on whv'h the A'pn^folic Te.^thnony rested.
Let us now consider the evidence on which this testimony
rested. In delivering this testimon}', the apostles " did not
M
178 THE apostle's resolutioxs. [part ti.
follow cunningly-devised fables." The Gospel history, if a
fable, was certainly not a cnnningly-contrived one. It related
to events that were said to have just taken place, and that
were of a public character. The interests of the most influ-
ential classes Avere deeply involved in their proving its false-
hood, and its extreme circumstantiality furnished them with
the most abundant materials for prosecuting, with success, an
exposure of its falsehood — if it was indeed false. It was, in-
deed, such a statement as no sane man would have made, if
he had not been both thoroughly convinced that it was true,
and that it had invincible evidence to support it ; a statement
which, if not true, was easy to be refuted, and the reception of
which on any other supposition than that of its truth, was
utterly impossible. In another sense, indeed, we may say,
that if the Apostolical Testimony was a fable, it was a most
cunningly-devised one ; for, do\Aai to this hoiu*, all attempts
to e\dnce its fabulous nature (and neither learning nor inge-
nuity have been spared in the endeavoiu*), have not only been
fruitless, but have tended to make the deception more com-
plete, and its exposure more hopeless.
In testifying of " the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus,"
the apostles could not follow fables, whether cunningly-con-
trived or easily seen through, for they did not retail state-
ments made by others ; they merely declared that of which they
themselves had been eye-witnesses. They had seen miracles
performed ; they had seen predictions fulfilled. Their lan-
guage was, " That which was from the beginning, which we
have heard, wliich we have seen with our eyes, which we
have looked upon and our hands have handled, of the Word
of life ; (For the Life was manifested, and we have seen and
bear witness; and show unto you that Eternal Life wliich was
with the Father, and was manifested to us ;) that which we
have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us ; and truly our fellowship is with the
Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." " Of these things
we are witnesses ;" and " we cannot but speak the things
which we have seen and heard."
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 179
a. Theii had seen miracles performed.
" We were," says the apostle, " eye witnesses of His ma-
jesty " during the period of His powerful coming or presence
on earth. These words seem very nearly parallel with those
in the Gospel by John, " We beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father." "His majesty" is the
true greatness which belonged to Him ; the power and kind-
ness manifested in His miracles; the wisdom, and holiness,
and benignity, displayed in His doctrine, so " full of grace
and truth ;" the matchless maenanimitv and self-sacrifice
exemplified in His sufferings and death. They had seen Him
Avalk on the stormy sea as on a marble pavement. They had
seen Him with a look of majesty make a host of armed men
go backward and fall to the ground. They had seen Him
rise from earth to heaven, till a cloud of glory received Him
fi'om their sio;ht.
The apostle specifies one particular occasion on which
the power of His presence, and His glorious majesty, were
very remarkably displayed. " For He received from God
the Father honour and glory, when there came such a
voice to Him from the Excellent Glory, This is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came
from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the Holy
Mount." To perceive the f\ill force of the apostle's illustra-
tion, we must endeavour to bring the whole scene, to which
he refers, before our mind. Such an event was of itself suffi
cient to give propriety to the epithet powerful, as applied to
the coming of our Lord.^
On a day towards the termination of His mortal pilgrim-
age, when " the time " was at hand " that He should be
received up," our Lord retired from the multitude who
attended Him, and taking with him only Peter, James, and
John, His bosom friends, ascended a mountain which tradi-
tion says was Tabor, whose ascent travellers tell us, requires
^ Matt. xvii. 1-9 ; Mark ix. 2-8 ; Luke ix. 28-.^G.
180 THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PAIIT II.
the labovir of a day. It was probably evening when ovir
Lord and His three chosen disciples reached the sum-
mit. The Sa\aour retired to a little distance from His com-
panions to engage in secret devotion. They (though no doubt
they too betook themselves to prayer before surrendering
themselves to repose), worn out with the fatigues of the day,
soon sunk into sleep. It was otherwise with their Lord.
" In prayers and supplications," He continued to pour out
His inmost thouo;hts and feeling-s into the bosom of His
Father. We cannot doubt that His prayers referred to His
sufferings so near at hand, and to the glory which was to
follow them — lately the subject of discourse with His disciples,
and soon to be the subject of discoiu'se Avith celestial visitants.
We cannot doubt that they Avere materially the same as those
recorded at an after period : " Now is My soul troubled, and
what shall I say ? Father, save IVIe from this hour : but
for this cause I am come to this hour. Father, glorify^ Thy
name." " Father, glorify Thy Son that Thy Son also may
glorify Thee."
Him the Father heareth always. He was now heard in
reference to what He feared. While He was prajdng, a
wonderful change took place on His body. As from a foun-
tain of pure uncreated light within, that body which was the
shrine of divinity, became bright and beautifiil, so that His
countenance shone like the Sun, and even His garments be-
came resplendent with an unearthly brightness. Immediately
He was joined by two visitants fi-om the celestial world, bear-
ing in their radiant forms evidence of the bright region from
which they had descended — Moses the giver, and Elijah the
restorer, of the law to Israel.
Well has it been observed by a living German divine of
distinguished genius and piety, "Since the gate of Paradise
closed, heaven had not visited earth in such a manner as
here on Tabor, well worthy henceforward of the name of the
Holy Momit. What an assembly ! The Son of the Highest
clothed in glory and majesty; before Him two dignified am-
bassadors from the city of God ; near them, thouo-h A^et un-
r
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 181
conscious of their presence, Peter, James, and Jolui, the
piHars of the New Testament church ; around, doubtless, a
muhitude of the heavenly host ; and within hearing, the voice
of the Eternal Father, whom no eye hath seen or can see.
Where on earth was there ever a gathering like this ? There
had hitherto been wanting, even in the paradise of these
glorified saints, the saluting the King of all kings as their
kinsman and brother. Oh ! when they beheld Him whose
day they had for ages longed and looked for ; Him by virtue
of whose approaching sufferings they had so long worn their
crowns beforehand ; Him, the Lamb of God, whose sacrificial
blood, so long before it was poured out, had blotted out their
sins ; a new heaven would disclose itself to them in such con-
templation of their Saviour God."
The subject of discourse between our Lord and these
envoys fi'om His Father, was " the decease He was to accom-
plish at Jerusalem" — His departure from the land of life to
the regions of the dead ; His departure too from earth, to
heaven ; His death, and resurrection, and ascension — in one
word. His retmni to Plis Father, through the dark rugged
path of suffering and death, terminating in " the Path of Life,"
which, passing through these visible heavens, led Him into
the immediate presence of His Father, " where is fulness of
joy — to His right hand, where are pleasures for evermore."^
These were the topics nearest the Saviour's heart, and nearest
the hearts, too, of His celestial visitants.
How dreadful must have been that place — the house of God,
the gate of heaven ! The disciples were soon to feel this.
The heavenly radiance and the sound of the voices of the
celestial strangers, less familiar to their ears than the accents
of their Master, probably broke their slumbers, and, on open-
ing their eyes, they beheld to their amazement, their trans-
figured Lord and His two radiant companions. They plainly
saw them ; they distinctly heard them speak ; and thus, as
^ At once ii 'i^olo;, the departure from this world, the scene of his
lov'Kiiu, ministry ; and ij i'iaohoi, the entrance into r'/iv xiuviov [ixai'hilxv,
the everlasting kingdom.
182 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II.
well as ti'oin oiu' Lord's after statement, became aware wlio
they were.
Respect, probably not unmixed with fear, kept them for
some time silent, but at last Peter, pelding to the impetuosity
of his nature, entranced in delight and astonishment, ex-
claimed, " Lord, it is good for us to be here : if Thou wilt,
let us make here three tabernacles : one for Thee, one for
Moses, and one for Elias" — dreaming probably that here, on
the top of Tabor, was to be the inauguration of the reign of
Messiah the Prince, and here the gathering of the people to
Him. It is evident " the decease to be accomplished," and
"the resurrection from the dead," though plain to us, w^ere
mysterious sounds to Peter.
WHiile the words were yet in Peter's mouth, a radiant
cloud — the visible token, under former economies, of the im-
mediate presence of Divinity — overspread them, like a glorious
canopy. A holy awe came over the minds of the disciples
when thus brought, as it were, into the presence chamber
of the Great King, the Lord of hosts ; and immediately
there burst forth from the Excellent Glorv' a majestic voice:
" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear
ye Him."
What glory and honour were then given our Lord Jesus
Christ ! He was proclaimed by God Himself to be a partaker
of Plis Di\ane nature ; the object of His entire approbation —
His infinite love ; while the ancient church, in the persons of
Moses and Elijah, and the Christian church, in the persons of
Peter, James, and John, were called on to attend to, believe,
and obev Him — as the true revealer of the will of the Father,
in whose bosom He had from eternity rejiosed.
The voice of the Almighty, so full of majesty, made the
disciples fall \y\ik their faces to the groiuid. It seemed to say
to them, " Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for
fear of the Lord and for the glory of His majesty." The
compassionate Saviour felt for their alarms, and, coming to
the disciples, gently touched them and soothingly said, "Arise,
be not aft'aid." On lifting up themselves from their prostrate
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 183
posture, tliey looked around, but the bright vision was fled :
The glory had departed. Moses and Elijah had returned to
heaven ; but Jesus, restored to His orchnary appearance, re-
mained. And this w^as enough, more than enough : when
Jesus remains with His people, it matters but little wdio departs
from them.
Such was the glory and honour which Peter and his com-
panions saw " received from God the Father" by their Master.
Such the voice from heaven which they heard on the Holy
Mount. And this was but a specimen of what they saw and
heard of the powerful coming and majesty of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Had they not, then, in these events, which they had not
heard of from others, but of which they had been eye and ear-
witnesses abundant evidence of the truth of what they declared?
And had not those who heard their statement abundant
grounds also for believing it, in " God bearing them wdtness,
both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts
of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will ? " — This is the
first ground on which the apostles themselves firmly believed
the declaration they made, and called on others to believe it.
We, my brethren, have not been eye-witnesses of the ma-
jesty of our Lord Jesus, as that was displayed in the miracles
wdiich illustrated His " powerful coming." But not the less
can we safely adopt the language of the apostle — " We have not
followed cunningly-devised fables," when we make laiownto you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus — proclaim that the
Messiah is come ; that Jesus of Nazareth is He ; that He has
received honour and glory of the Father, and that a voice still
comes forth from the throne on high — Hear Him, hear Him.
We cannot work miracles in confirmation of oui* statements.
But it is not necessary we should. The force of miracles as
evidence of a Divine revelation does not depend on their
being seen, but on their being really performed, and our having
sufficient evidence of the fact. The evidence we have in support
of many of the most universally credited facts of histoiy is not
better' — in many cases not so good — nor more abundant than
Ave have for the actual performance of many, diversified, and
184 THE ArosTLi:'s resolutions. [part ii.
great miracles, in attestation of the Christian revelation. We
did not see oiu' Lord transfigured, but we have abundant evi-
dence that He was. We did not hear the voice from heaven, but
we have abundant evidence that the apostles heard it, and have
acciu-ately reported it to us. If we do not believe in His
"powerful coming," and in " His majesty," and act accordingly
— submittino' to Him as om' teacher, trusting in Him as om'
Saviour, obeying Him as our Lord and King — we must not
seek to excuse oui' conduct by alleging want of evidence
sufficient to lay a foundation for our reasonably doing all
this. The cause of such conduct is not deficiency in the
evidence ; it arises from moral indisposition to the doc-
trines which, if the evidence be sufficient, we are bound
to believe, and from dislike to the precepts which, on this
supposition, we are equally bound to obey. This is the truth,
and however the unbeliever may now succeed in disguising
this truth from himself, it Avill glare on him with a terrific clear-
ness when the consequences of having disregarded it are found
to be awfully serious, and altogether irreparable.
It is pleasant to look back to Tabor — but it is still more
pleasant to look forward to a more glorious transfiguration
on a higher and holier mountain. Glorious as was our Lord
Jesus on Tabor, He is still more glorious in the heaven of
heavens ; and though He is now " hid with God," the day of
manifestation is at hand. Yet a little while (as He measures
duration, with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day), and not Moses and Elias merely,
but all His redeemed ones — a miiltitude that no man can
number, ou.t of every nation and of every age, shall, when He
is manifested, be manifested along with Him in glor}'. They
shall stand with Him on the heavenly Mount Zion. It will, in-
deed, be good to be there ! No need to erect tabernacles then !
The abiding mansions are all ready. — Let it be our first am-
bition, brethren, to secure that we shall have a place in that
liappy company. Fellowship Avith Christ 7)oio is necessary to
fellowship Avith Him then. Let us see to it that we now listen
to the heavenly Aoice, " Hear ye Him ! Hear ye Him ! '"
SECT. II.] GROUXDS OF THEM. 185
xlttend to, believe, obey, imitate Him. In all the extent of
meaning that belongs to the word, follow Him on earth, and
yon shall certainly follow Him to heaven. There you shall be
transfignred. Not merely shall yon in soul and spirit be like
Him, seeing Him as He is, but yom" vile bodies shall be fashioned
like nnto His glorious body. Beholding Him no longer as
through a glass, but face to face, you shall be changed into His
image, of wdiich even the appearance on Tabor was but a
shadow — from glory to glory — ever increasing glory. Amen.
/3. They had seen Pi^edictions fuljilled.
The second ground on which the apostolic testimony rested
was the fulfilment of prophecy. " We have also a more sure
word of prophecy, whereunto you do well to take heed, as to
a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts : Knowing this first, that
no prophecy is of private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
In these words there is more than one thing not very easy
to be understood. For example — What is meant by the word
of prophecy being " more sure?" More sure than what? —
than the " cmmingly devised fables ?" This were but meagre
praise ; — than the apostolic testimony ? — or than the miracles
by which it was confirmed ? — or than the voice heard on the
Holy Mount ? This were a magnificent eulogium : but is it
a true one ? — What is meant by no prophecy being of " private
interpretation?" Does that mean, as the Koman Catholics
say — No man may attempt to find out the meaning of pro-
phecy for himself, but must receive implicitly the interpre-
tation of an infallible church, speaking in her popes or coun-
cils ? Certainly not. What, then, does it mean ? These are
some of the " things hard to be understood," which we must
attempt to explain — some of the obscurities which we must
endeavour to remove.
" We," here, refers to the writer and Iiis apostolic brethren.
180 THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PART II.
What they say was, no doubt, true of many beside them, but
still it is plainly of themselves they speak here — " We,'' Avho
" have the sui*e word of prophecy, to which ye would do well
to take heed — " we" who have just said " we have not followed
cunnintvly devised fables — ^l^'e declared to x/ou the power and
cominff of our Lord Jesus Christ." " We saw His majesty" —
" we heard the voice from heaven in the Holy Mount."
The phrase, " a more sure word of prophecy," ^ literally ren-
dered, is ' the word of prophecy,' or the prophetic word ' more
sure.' The word of prophecy, or the prophetic word, means
just that part of the Old Testament Scriptm'es given by inspira-
tion of God, which is occupied with the prediction of future
events, constituting a very considerable portion of the whole
volume, though, no doubt, there is a particular reference in the
apostle's mind to those parts of the prophetic word which referred
to, and had been fulfilled in, the powerful coming of om- Lord
Jesus, and the seeing the fulfilment of which was one gi'ound
of the apostle's conviction that the Messiah was indeed come.
So far all is plain enough. But now comes something rather
" hard to be miderstood." How is the word of prophecy
" more sure?" How had the apostles this word more sure"?
Can anything be sm'er than the voice of Godhead from heaven?
or, can that which is established in the heavens become more
sui'e ? Some interpreters get rid of the difficulty in a very easy
way. They say that more sure stands for siu^e, or y&cj sure: and
there is no doubt that the word of prophecy is sure — very sure.
No, there is no doubt of this, and no doubt that this mode of
interpretation makes all plain, but then there is as httle doubt
that this is not what the apostle says. We cannot, without
doing violence to the lang-uage, which certainly implies com-
parison, make out of his Avords anything but this : 'we have a
more sure w' ord of prophecy — or we have the word of jn'ophecy
more sure.' There is a comparison either between prophecy
and something else, or between prophecy as it once was, and
jn'ophecy as it then was and now is.
' jiilicttOTipov rov 7rpo!l/ir,ix.(iu 'Aoy'iu.
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 187
Some have supposed that " the word of prophecy" is con-
trasted with " cunningly devised fables." Instead of follow-
ing " cunningly devised fables," in declaring to you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus, we have a more sure ground
for our declaration — the word of prophecy. But it is not
natural thus to connect the first clause of the nineteenth verse
with the first clause of the sixteenth. Besides, there was no
certainty, no sureness, in these " cunningly devised fables" at
all : they were, by the supposition, /«^/gs — baseless statements.
It was to say veiy little in favour of the word of prophecy,
to say that it was surer than they. To bring it into com-
parison with them, was to degrade it. This cannot be the
meaning.
Others have supposed that the companson is betw^een the
e"\ddence of miracles and the evidence of prophecy; and that
the apostle's statement is, that in the case before them the word
of prophecy gives a clearer confirmation than the majesty of
which the apostles were eye-witnesses, or even the voice which
they heard in the Holy Mount.
Those who suppose that the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ refers to His second coming, explain the words
thus : — ' From the majesty which we witnessed in Christ
Jesus — from the voice we heard in the Holy Mount — what
we have told you as to His second coming to raise the dead, to
judge the world, and to complete the salvation of His people
and the perdition of his enemies, receives confirmation — inas-
much as they indicated that He was a very glorious person.
If the dead are to be raised — if the world is to be judged —
wdio so fit as He^ But then His miracles did not i^ro-
claim these truths. Even the \o\cq on the Holy Mount
did not announce this. But the word of prophecy is " more
sure." It, in the plainest terms, frequently proclaims " His
powerful coming." Hear how Enoch, the seventh fi'om
Adam, prophesied, saying, " Behold the Lord cometli with
ten thousands of His saints." Hear how David, the SAveet
Psalmist of Israel, sings — " He eometh, He cometh to judge
the earth : He shall judge the world with rigliteousncss and His
188 THE apostle's resolutions. [part il
people with His truth." Hear the declaration of Malaclii —
" He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts — but who may
abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand Avhen He
fippeareth ? " Hear the prophetic word as uttered by Him-
self— " The Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all
the holy angels wdth Him ; then shall He sit on the throne of
His glory." ' This is plausible, but not, we think, satisfac-
tory ; for though we doubt not that the Old Testament pro-
phets, and our Lord Himself, explicitly predicted His second
coming, and that these explicit declarations are completer
evidence in reference to that event than the miracles, or the
voice on Tabor, viewed by themselves, — it would nevertheless
appear that " the powerful coming" referred to is not the
second coming, but the first, to which, indeed, undoubtedly
belong some of the passages in Old Testament prophecy,
generally quoted as predicting the second coming.
It has been attempted to show^ that the proof from prophecy,
of our Lord's having come as the Messiah, is more powerful,
if not than miracles generally, at any rate than the miracle
of the transfiguration, and the heavenly voice that accom-
panied it. It has been said 'that the prophecies are more
numerous — each of them, wdien fulfilled, an obvious miracle ;
and that, by their number, they furnish a stronger proof than
could be afforded by any single manifestation, however clear and
glorious ; and that the suspicion of delusion or imposition, which
might be entertained in reference to such a miracle as the
transfiguration and the heavenly voice, could have no place
in reference to predictions recorded ages before the events in
which they were fulfilled.' This, however, is utterly unsatisfiic-
tory ; for the apostle is not spealdng of what the miracle of the
transfiguration and the w^ord of prophecy were, as evidence to
others, but of Avhat they were to themselves. He is not speak-
ing of the evidence which then ^^^^ ^^^*^ heard the testimony,
but of the evidence which he and his brethren had avIio gave
the testimony — so that they knew, and were sm-e, that in pro-
claiming the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, they spoke
tlie truth, and no lie — the vcr^^ truth most siu'e: " We were
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF TIIEM. 189
eye-witnesses" — " We have a more sure word of prophecy."
Now, certainly no fulfilled declaration of prophecy could be
to them surer evidence that Jesu^s was the Messiah, and that
He was come in power and great glory, than what they saw
and heard on Tabor.
The most satisfactory interpretation of the words (thus ren-
dered, " we have the word of prophecy more confirmed") is
that which considers them as stating the fact that, in the events
of Jesus' history, the apostles had seen many of the predictions
of the ancient prophets manifestly fulfilled, and, by being-
fulfilled, more confirmed — made to appear more manifestly
sure and stedfast than they were or could be previous to
their accomplishment. In the same way the apostle^ speaks
of Jesus Christ " confirming" — making sure, " the promises
made unto the fathers," by fulfilling them. So far as truth is
concerned, divine predictions are as sure before as after fulfil-
ment ; but fulfilment is the strongest evidence of their being
really divine predictions, and the most, if not the only satis-
factory proof that can be brought out of them, of the truth
of the doctrines, in support of which they are pleaded as
evidence. The prophetic word was more confirmed to the
apostles than it had been to those who lived before the incar-
nation. And this confirmation of the prophetic word, by its
seen accomplishment, afforded an additional evidence to that
derived from the miracles which they witnessed, that they
spoke but the truth when they declared to their fellow-men
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The pro-
phetic word is not represented as a surer evidence than
miracles generally, or than the miracle on Tabor in particular ;
but the prophetic word is said to have been more confirmed
to the apostles than it was to those who lived before its accom-
plishment. And this prophetic word, confirmed by accom-
plishment, was to them a proof additional — he does not say
stronger — to that which was afforded them, by what they heard
and saw on " the Holy IN'Iount," of the truth of the testimony
^ Rom. XV. 8.
190 THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PART TL
they gave forth concerning " the power and coming of the
Lord Jesus." It is thvis that the prophets " ministered, not"
so much " to themselves," as to " those who first preached the
GospeL" They derived from the predictions an advantage
which lay beyond the reach of the prophets themselves.
The minute conformity between what was predicted of the
Messiah, and what actually took place in reference to Jesus, is
so extensive, that a history of our Lord's life might, without
much difficultv, be written in the lanomage of the Old Testa-
ment prophets. He belonged to the tribe and family from
which the Messiah was to spring — the tribe of Judah, the family
of David. " It is evident our Lord sprung out of Judah," and
was the Son of David : certainly his legal — probably, too, his
natural — descendant. He appeared at the time when Messiah
was to appear : when the sceptre was departing from Judah,
and the seventy weeks of Daniel draAving to a close. He was
born in the city where Messiah, according to the prophet, was
to be bom : and wonderfully was His Mother brought thither,
that the prediction might be fulfilled — "Thou, Bethlehem
Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of
Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is
to be ruler in Israel ; whose goings forth have been of old,
fi'om everlasting." ^ So runs the prophetic oracle of Micah ;
and here is the record of its fulfilment, " It came to pass
that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all
the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every
one to his own city. And Joseph went up fi'om Galilee, out
of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David
that is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and
lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife,
being great with child. And so it was, that while they were
there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her fi.rst born son, and wrapped Him
in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger ; for there was
no room for them ii\ the inn."^ Thus was born in the city of
1 Micah V. 2. - Luke ii. 1-7.
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 191
David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. Jehovah, by Moses
predicted the rise of " a Prophet like to, but greater" than
himself, whom all Israel was bound to hear and listen to :
" Him shall ye hear :"' And from the Most Excellent Glory,
again and again, came the voice identifying Jesus with that
Great Prophet, " Hear Him, hear Him." ^
Seven hundred years after Isaiah had, in the person of the
Messiah, spoken, in spirit, these words, " The Spirit of the
Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me
to preach glad tidings to the meek ; Pie hath sent me to bind
up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound ; to
proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,"^ — Jesus Christ,
after reading this passage, in the s}Tiagogue of His native city
proclaimed, " This day is this scriptm*e fulfilled in your ears :"
and many " wondered at the gracious words which proceeded
from His mouth."* The same illustrious prophet thus de-
scribed the days of Messiah the Prince — " Then shall the
eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall
be unstopped : then shall the lame man leap as an hart,
and the tongue of the dumb shall sing." ^ And when " John
the Baptist sent two of his disciples to Jesus, and said unto
Him, Art thou Pie that should come, or do we look for an-
other? Jesus answered and said to them. Go and shew
John again those things which ye do hear and see; the
blind receive their sight, and the lame w alk ; the lepers are
cleansed, and the deaf hear ; the dead are raised up, and the
poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he
who shall not be offended in me."*'
Zechariah's prophecy, " Rejoice greatly, O daughter of
Zion ; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem : behold thy King
Cometh unto thee; He is just, nnd having salvation; lowly,
and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass,"^
was fidfilled to the letter by the unconscious instrumentality
1 Dent, xviii, 15-19. - Matt. xvii. 5. -^ Isa. Ixi, 1-3.
4 Luke iv. 16-22. ^ Isa. xxxv. 5, G. « Matt. xi. 5, 6.
" Zecli. ix. 9.
192 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II.
of tlie disciples and the multitude. For " these things," says
the evangelist, marking the verification of the oracle, " under-
stood not Ilis disciples at the first ; but when Jesus was
glorified, then remembered they that these things were written
of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him." ^
In nothing, however, was the prophetic word more remark-
ably confirmed, than in the fulfilment of the predictions re-
specting the sufferings of the Messiah. " He is despised and
rejected of men,"^ said the prophet: and notwithstanding
His words, so full of grace and truth, and His works, so full
of power and mercy, what did the body of His countrymen
say of Jesus ? " Is not this the carpenter's son ? Is not this
the carpenter, the son of Mary ? — and they were offended at
Him."«
It has been justly remarked by the learned and judicious
Bishop Pearson (whose elaborate exposition of the creed,
commonly called the Apostles' Creed, is worthy not only
of repeated perusal, but of careful study), — that " if we com-
pare the particular predictions with the historical accounts of
His sufferings — if we join the prophets and evangelists together,
it will most manifestly appear that the Messiah was to suffer
nothing which Christ has not suffered. If Zechariali says,
' they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver,' * ISIatthew
will show that Judas sold Jesus at the same rate : ' For the
chief priests had covenanted with him for thirty pieces of
silver.' ^ If Isaiah say, ' He Avas wounded ;' " if Zechariali say
He was ' pierced ;' ^ if the prophet David yet more particularly
mention 'Plis hands and His feet'^ as pierced, the evangelists
will tell how He was fastened to the cross, and Jesus Himself
will show us the print of the nails.^ If the Psalmist tell us
they should ' laugh Him to scorn, and shake tlie head, saying.
He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted
in Him,' ^° Matthew will describe the same action, and the same
1 John xii. 12-16. ^ jga. liH. 3. 3 Mark vi. 3.
* Zech. xi. 12. ^ Matt. xxvi. 15. " Isa. liii, 5.
^ Zech. xii. 10. ^ Psal. xxii. 16. '■' John xx. 27.
'0 Psal. xxii. 7, 8.
o
SECT, n.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 19.'
expression ; for ' they that passed by reviled Him, wagging
their heads, and saying, ' He trusted in God, let Him deliver
Him now, if He will have Him ; for He said, '■ I am the Son
of God.'^ Let David say, ' My God, my God, why hast Thou
forsaken Me !'^ and the Son of David will shew in whose
person the father spoke it, — ' Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani!'*
Let Isaiah foretell ' He was numbered with the transgres-
sors ;'* and you will find Him ' crucified between two thieves,
one on His rio;ht hand and the other on His left,' ^ Read in
the Psalmist, ' In My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink ;' "
and you will find in the evangelist, ' Jesus, that the Scripture
might be fulfilled, said, I thirst ; and they took a spunge and
filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed and gave Him to
drink.' ^ Read farther yet, ' They part My garments among
them, and cast lots upon My vesture ;' ^ and to fulfil the pre-
diction, the soldiers will make good the distinction, ' who took
His garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part,
and also His coat : now the coat was without seam, woven
from the top throughout. They said, therefore, among them-
selves. Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall
be.' ^ Lastly, let the prophets teach us that ' He shall be
brought as a lamb to the slaughter,' and be ' cut off out of
the land of the living ;'i'^ all the evangelists will declare how
' like a lamb' He suffered, and the very Jews will acknowledge
that He was ' cut ofP.' And now, we may well conclude that
' Thus it is written, and thus it behoveth the Christ to suffer ;'
and what it so behoved Him to sviffer, that He suffered." ^^ — It
is plain, from the prophetic word what things Messiah ought
to have suffered, and equally plain that Jesus Christ suffered
them ; so that " those things which God had before shewed
by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer.
He hath so fulfilled."
That prophetic word of Isaiah, " His grave was appointed
1 Matt, xxvii. 39, 43. ^ pgal. xxii 1. ^ Matt, xxvii. 46.
* Isa. liii. 12. ^ Mark xv. 27. "^ Psal. Ixix. 21.
'■ John xix. 28 ; Matt, xxvii. 48. « Pf?al. xxii. 18.
3 John xix. 2H, 24. i" Isa. liii. 7, 8. " Luke xxiv. 40.
N
194 THE apostle's resolutions. [part it.
with the wicked, but He was with the rich in the state of the
dead," ' was confirmed when " Joseph, a ricli man of Arima-
thea, having begged the dead body of Jesus fi'om Pilate, took
it down fi'om the cross, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and
laid it in his oyni new tomb, which he had hewii. out in the
rock."^ The predictions of JoeP of the outpouring of the
Spirit were confirmed by the miraculous occurrences of the day
of Pentecost.* The predictions of the ancient prophets that
" the heathen should be given to the Messiah for His inheri-
tance,"^ that " the isles should wait for His law," that " to Him
should the Gentiles seek ;"^ and our Lord's own prophetic inti-
mations, " Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die,
it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit," ^
" and I, if I be lifted up fi-om the earth, will draw all men to
Me,"^ were confirmed Avhen " a great number of Greeks
believed and were ttu'ned to the Lord," ^ when converts were
nmnbered by tens of thousands,^" and when it could be said^
" the Gospel is come to all the \vorld," — is " preached to every
creature mider heaven." "
Surely the word of prophecy was more confirmed to those
who witnessed these events in which it was verified, than it was
to those wdio lived before their occurrence, or were ignorant
of them. And the prophetic word, thus confirmed, was most
satisfactory evidence to Peter and his brethren that the Mes-
siah was come — that Jesus Avas He — and that His coming
was a coming with powei*. With these facts before their
minds, they could neither doubt the divme origin of the pro-
phetic word nor the divine mission of Jesus, who was thus
demonstrated to be " He of whom Moses in the law and the
prophets did write." They could not but believe ; and believ-
ing, they could not but speak.^^
Such convictions, grounded on what they had seen of the
performance of miracles and the fulfilment of prophecy, lay
1 Isa. liii. 9. ^ jyiatt. xxvii. 57-60. ^ jogl ii,
* Acts ii. 2-4. - sPsal. ii. 8. « Isa xlii.4, 11, 10.
'' John xii. 24. ^ jghn xii. 32. ^ Acts ii. 5.
lOActs xxi. 20. " Col. i. 6, 23. i- Fide inf.
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 195
a broad and strong foundation for the apostle's resolutions to
leave no means untried to secure that they to whom he wrote
should not, either during his life or after his death, forget the
doctrine and law of Him who had been so clearly proved to
be the Christ of God and the Saviour of men. The brief
account here given of the grounds on which Peter and his
brethren declared the power and coming of our Lord Jesus,
exactly accords with the more extended statements con-
tained in his discourses, recorded in the Acts of the
Apostles, cliap. ii. 22-36 ; iii. 12-26 ; iv. 9-12. They
dwell much on the word of prophecy, more confirmed by
accomplishment.
Let us recollect that the same evidence (only greatly in-
creased— for much of the prophetic word has been fulfilled
since the apostle wrote, and thus is, or ought to be, more con-
firmed to us than it was to him) — the same evidence which
convinced the apostles of the powerful coming of Jesus Christ,
and, as exhibited by them, convinced so many more, is pre-
sented to our minds, and calls for our most serious consideration.
The prophetic word is contained in the inspired volume, and the
facts by which it is confirmed are to be found in the history of
the world, and are as well established as any historical facts can
be. The argument from prophecy for the truth of Christi-
anity is one which requires a good deal of time and mental
labour to master ; for though its principles are simple and sa-
tisfactory, its details are exceedingly numerous and varied : but,
when fully comprehended, they are calculated to make a very
powerful impression on a candid and thoughtful mind. Moses
and the prophets seem to re-echo the voice which was heard
on the Holy Mount — "Hear Him! Hear Him!" and as
ages roll on, the cry becomes louder and more impressive —
"Hear Him! Hear Him!"
It is melancholy to reflect that, through the criminal neglect
of the church, so large a proportion of oiu' race have never
heard either the voice of the prophets or the voice fi-om heaven ;
and certainly not less melancholy to reflect, that so large a
proportion of those who might hear these voices lend a deaf
19G THE apostle's resolutions. [part ti.
ear to tliem, and act as if no voice had reached them, or had
uttered an uncertain sound. We pity the heathen, ^^'^ell
we may. But a deeper pity, though connected with a deeper
blame, is due to them who disregard the prophets, and even
contemn the voice speaking from heaven. There is a day
coming when such persons shall envy the heathen. Are we
of the number ? My brethren, we cannot escape fi'om the
responsibility connected with having the prophetic word more
confirmed, and having the voice heard on Tabor pressed on
our consideration. That responsibility, fairly responded to,
will lead to faith, obedience, and salvation : contemptuously
disowaied — dishonestly treated — it will certainly end in con-
firmed unbelief, and redoubled damnation, " He that hath
ears let him hear." " He that is wise shall be wise for himself;
but he that scorneth, he alone shall bear it."
3. Practical exhortation based on the second ground of the
Apostolic Testimony J " to take heed to the pj^ophetic ivord^
Having represented the confirmed word of prophecy, as
one of the great foundations of his owti faith in these words,
the apostle now proceeds to recommend to those to whom he
was waiting, to study the prophetic word, and enforces his
recommendation by some very cogent reasons. He tells tlunn
that they " do well to take heed" to it, for it is " a light shining
in a dark place ; that no prophecy of the Scripture is of pi-ivate
interpretation ; that the prophecy came not " of old time," nor
at any time, " by the will of man, bvit holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Those to ^\ horn
the apostle was wTiting were students of the Scriptures, and he
encourages them to prosecute the study. This form of ex-
pression, though not formally, is substantially an injunction
of duty, and furnishes a good illustration of the character of
Peter's writings. They are remarkably free from assumption —
from the putting forward of even the best founded claims of pe-
culiar attention to himself. Though he had high authority, he
assumes no imperious air. How different from the wicked im-
postors who, in later ages, have pretended to be his successors,
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 197
and shamelessly claim infallibility and supreme authority on
the most baseless pretences. He had learned humility, and
studied to obey his Lord's command, " strengthen thy breth-
ren." In his writings he is not like Paul, the great teacher
and reasoner. His epistles are, as he himself describes
them, composed of a beautiful mixture of testimony and ex-
hortation.^
The word of prophecy to which the apostle directly refers,
is undoubtedly the Old Testament predictions in reference to
the Messiah, confirmed by accomplishment. But we should
err, I apprehend, if we confined his recommendation to " take
heed," within so narrow a compass. Prophecy is a system.
It is the same word of prophecy that refers to coming as to past
events. It was Petei''s wish that they should study unfulfilled
as well as fulfilled prophecy : and we may — I rather think we
ought, on the same general ground, to consider what is here said
as referring to the predictions of the New Testament as well
as the Old — the predictions of Jesus himself and His beloved
disciple, of Peter himself and his beloved brother Paul.
Wliether the Apocalypse was published or not at this time
(which is a doubtful matter), certainly we do well to take
heed to a book of Avhich it is written, " Blessed is he that
readeth, and they that hear the Avords of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein." Lideed, all
that is said in the verses now before us, is equally true with
regard to the whole completed canon of divine revelation,
of which the prophetic word forms so important a part —
" All Scripture given by inspiration of God being profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in
righteousness" — though, no doubt, having a special force in
reference to the predictions fulfilled and unfulfilled.
Let us thus, then, briefly consider, first. Our duty in re-
ference to the word of prophecy — inspired Scripture — as recom-
mended by the apostle ; and secondly, The reasons by which
he enforces his recommendation.
^ iypx-ipa, 77ix,pay,ciAuu y.a,\ i'7:i[^oi.p~vpo)'j. — 1 Pot. V. 12.
IDb 'JllK AI'OSTLeV llEi^OLVTIOXS. [pAirr IT.
a. The exhortation, " Take heed."
Our duty in reference to tlie prophetic word — the inspired
vohmie — is to " take heed " to it/ Those to whom Peter
wrote treated the prophetic word in this way, and he encourages
them to persevere in this course: "Ye take heed" to the
confirmed word of prophecy ; and " ye do well " in doing so.
Any other course would be an affi'ont to the Author of the
prophetic word, and an injury to yourselves.
To take heed to the inspired writings, certainly implies that
we peruse them. To read them is the least and lowest token
of real respect we can show them. Not to read wdiat purports
to he, and what we profess to believe a Divine revelation,
is certainly the very reverse of taking heed to it. Yet, are
there not many wdio are not professed infidels (though even thei/,
if they w^ould act like rational beings, would give heed to —
would read, and read with attention, these extraordinary \^a'it-
ings) — who habitually neglect reading the Scriptures ? who
have, indeed, never read the whole of the Bible — never read
any of it very carefully ? who are very ignorant even of the
letter of the confirmed word of prophecy ?
But a man may read, and read regularly the inspired writ-
ings, and yet not give heed to them. It is astonishing with how
little exercise of the mind many men contrive to read the
Bible, it may be regularly once at least every day, though of
all books in the world, there is no book equal to the Bible,
apart even from its inspiration, for stirring the mind, and
engendering thought. We must seek to understand the
meaning, reference, and design of the contents of the sacred
volume, and this is wdiat cannot be done without close atten-
tion and considerable thought.
^ Some interpreters, among others Dr Ash, in his generally judicious
"Notes on the New Testament," would connect Trpoasxovn; with iv rxi;
Kotpoioii; v,uuu in the end of the verse ; but this trajection is liable to two
strong objections — there is nothing to mark the intervening clauses as pa-
renthetical, and the phrase irpoaixi''-' ^* x.ocphiuig vy.uv is singular. The
passages referred to by Dr Ash are not parallel — Matt. ix. 4 ; Luke ii. 51.
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF TllEM. 199
We must, in seeking to understand it, never forget that it
is a divine revelation — a divine revelation addressed to us,
intended to serve important practical pui'poses. We do not
rightly take heed to the Word of God, if we do not take
care that these pui'})Oses are answered. We do not take heed
to the facts and doctrines of the Bible, if we do not believe
them, and allow them to have their fair moral influence over
om- character and conduct. We do not take heed to its
warnings, if we do not guard against the courses which they
denounce. We do not take heed to its precepts, if we do
not make them the rule of om* conduct. We do not take
heed to its promises, if we do not trust them and follow
the com'se in Avhicli alone the promised blessing can be
obtained. That this is the kind of taking heed required in
the text is indicated when it says. We are to take heed to
the confirmed word of prophecy, " as to a light shining in a
dark place." We are to use it to cheer our hearts and guide
our steps ; and to say with the Psalmist, " Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I have
sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous
judgments."
Thus should we ' take heed' to every part of Scripture given
by inspiration of God. That part of it which is occupied
Avith prophecy ought by no means to be overlooked. Both
fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy has strong claims on our
careful study. Fulfilled prediction is one of the great pillars
on which the edifice of revealed truth rests ; and unfulfilled
prediction is intended and fitted to awaken expectation, and
stimulate both by hope and fear to the cultivation of Chris-
tian character, and the discharge of Christian duty. No part of
inspired Scriptm-e requires more ' our taking heed,' if we mean
to derive advantage fi-om it. But heed is given in a right way
to the prophetic word, by him only who seeks to turn it into
an instrument for promoting personal sanctification. Wlien I
read the confirmed prophetic word in the first promise, I do
not take heed to it if I do not believe it ; and, believing it,
do not trust in the great Deliverer, the seed of the woman, who
200
THE apostle's KLSOLUTIOXS. [pAKT II.
has bruised the serpent's head, set myself to co-operate with
Him in the destruction of the works of the devil, and cherish
the hope that " the God of peace shall hruise Satan under my
feet shortly." "V\nien I read the confirmed word, "In thy
seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," I do not
take heed to it if I do not seek to be myself blessed in Him,
and do all I can that all nations may participate in His
saving benefits. When I read the confirmed prophetic word
in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, I do not take heed to it if
I do not, in the full assurance of faith, say, " In Him I have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin ; " and,
with an unreserved heart, devote myself wholly to Him who
devoted Himself wholly for me. — These may serve as speci-
mens of the right way of taking heed to fulfilled prophecy :
and as to unfulfilled prophecy, I do not take heed to the pre-
dictions in reference to the con\^ersion of the Jev/s and Gen-
tiles, if I do not pray and labour to gain these objects. I do
not take heed to the j)redictions respecting the man of sin, if
I do not carefully keep myself at a safe distance fii'om every
part of that system of delusion, and error, and superstition,
and wickedness, and exert myself to prevent the extension of
its influence, and the deliverance of its victims. I do not
rightly take heed to the prediction about the coming of the
Lord, if I do not learn to long for — to pray for — to haste to the
accomplishment of this glorious hope. I do not properly take
heed to the prediction of the end of the world, contained in
the third chapter of this epistle, if I am not led to say in my
heart, " What manner of person should I be, in all holy
conversation and godliness ;" and if I am not " chligent, that
I may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blame-
less." Let these remarks suffice for the illustration of our
duty in reference to the prophetic w^ord — the inspired Scrip-
tures.
/S. Motives.
Let us now turn our attention to the reasons which the
apostle assigns why we should perform this duty — why we
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 201
should " take heed." These are thus stated by him : the pro-
phetic word is as a " hght that shineth iu a dark place, till
the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts ;" and " no
prophecy is of j)nvate interpretation ; for the prophecy came
not in old time, nor, at any time, by the will of man, but holy
men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Let us
attend to these reasons in their order.
I. The usefulness of the prophetic word.
The first reason assigned by the apostle why Christians
should take heed to the prophetic word is, that it is " a light
shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the day star
arise in their hearts." The first thing to be done here, as in
every case where truth is conveyed in figiu'ative language, is
to endeavour to form a correct idea of the imagery employed.
It is night — the day has not dawned — the day star has not
appeared — the place is dark. The idea conveyed by the ori-
ginal word is foul, p)archedj sidtry, stiffocating, as well as dark.
It brings to the mind some region so overhung by rocks, as to
be almost cavernous. In this dark, airless place, there is but one
light. It shines, and will continue to shine till the day break,
and the svin rise, when, as a matter of course, it will be no
more needed. This seems to be the image; and the keeping
of it in mind will assist us in decidina; which of the va-
rious interpretations given to the words before us is the
true one. Another thing which may be usefid for the
same piu'pose, is to apprehend distinctly the object of the
apostle in making this statement ; and there can be no doubt
that this was to furnish a reason why those to whom he
wrote, should take heed to the prophetic word. It is also
right to remark here, that the clause, " till the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts," may be connected either with
the words, " ye do well to take heed," marking the period duiing
which the study of the Scriptures must be continued ; or with
the words immediately preceding, thus forming a part of the
image, " a hght shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and
the day star arise." In the view I am disposed to take of the
202 THE apostle's resolutions. [pakt II.
passage, it refers to the whole statement, including both tliese
references.
Interpreters vary considerably in their views of the re-
ference and meaning of these words. Some consider them
as referrino; to a state of thino-s past, others as referrino- to
a state of things present and futm'e, when the apostle wrote.
Those who consider them as referring to the past, render
the passage, as no doubt it admits of being rendered, " a light
which shone in a dark place, till the day dawned, and the day
star arose in yonr hearts." Tliey suppose that the apostle
refers to the state of things previous to the coming of our
Lord. The pagan world was a very dark place — a dreary
desolate region — " a land of deserts and of pits, a land of
drought and of the shadow of death." It was full of imiorance,
depra\aty, and misery. " Darlaiess covered the earth, and
gross darkness the people ;" and though there w^as " light
in the dwellings of the children of Israel," still even they
were in a dark place. All their light came from the lamp of
inspired truth shining among them ; and that light guided
and cheered those who took heed to it. Whatever true
knowledge of God, true holiness, true happiness, were enjoyed,
were derived from that light ; and it became brighter and
brighter. How much more light does Isaiah give than ISIoses !
Still it was shining in a dark place — the great body even of
the Jews were unenlightened, and those who saw best saw
but through a glass darklv. At last — the Sun of Righteous-
ness arose, with healing under His wings, bringing light and
health into the dark unwholesome place. The darkness was
past, and the true hght shone — the Light of Israel, the Light
of the world. " The people that sat in darkness saw a great
light ; and upon them who dwelt in the land of the shadow of
death the light shined."
Now this is all truth, and truth beautifully expressed by
the words, "A light shining in a dark place, till the day
dawned and the day star arose in your hearts." But there
are insuperable difficulties in accepting of this as the true inter-
pretation of the passage. For, first, the prophetic word did
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THE3I. 203
not, as the figure intimates, cease to shine Avhen the day
dawned and the day star appeared. It became brighter than
ever ; and instead of those who lived under the light of the
New Testament dispensation being excused from stu.dying
the Old Testament revelation, they are iirged to take heed to
it as, in some points of view, fitted to be of more use to them
than to those to whom it was originally given. And, secondly,
we scarcely think that the apostle would have urged, as his first
reason for our studying the prophetic word, that it had been
very useful during a period which was now passed ; because,
had this been the apostle's meaning he would probably have
said, not your hearts — ^but our hearts : agreeably to these words
of his beloved brother Paul, " God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, has sliined in our hearts" — in the
hearts of us apostles — " to give (for the piu*pose of diffusing
among others) the light of the knowledge of the glory of God,
in the face of Jesus Christ."
The great body of later interpreters consider, and, I think,
rightly, the words as referring to what was both present and
future when the apostle wrote. The place is still a dark place ;
the light is yet shining there, and will continue to shine, until
the day dawn and the day star arise ; and then, when no
longer needed — though not extinguished, it will " pale its fires"
to the blaze of a purer, brighter light.
Some have supposed that the words are used in reference,
not to Christians generally, but to a particular class of men
not uncommon in the primitive age — devout, inquiring men,
whose minds had been stirred up by the statements of the
apostles, but who had not arrived at full faith in Jesus as the
Christ. These men, like the Bereans, searched the Scrip-
tures, to ascertain whether what the apostles stated was so.
Now, it has been supposed that the apostle says to these men,
" Ye search the Scriptures — ye do well in doing so — they
testify of the Messiah, and they testify of Jesus as the Messiah.
Your minds are yet dark, but the prophetic word is a light
— take good heed to it, and if you do, it will end in Jesus
rising before your minds as the Star of Jacob, the Sun of Right-
204 THE apostle's hesolutions. [part ii.
eousness." To tliis interpretation, however, there are strong ob-
jections. We have no evidence that the apostle was addressing
this class. On the contrarj^, we have clear evidence that he was
not adfh'essing them : he was addressing men who had " ob-
tained like precious faith" with the apostles — who knew the
things spoken of in the first paragraph of this chapter, and
Avere " established in the present truth." That is not the de-
scription of mere inquirers. Then, as in the former case, —
when, in this sense, the day da^^•ned, and the day star
appeared — the light which shone in a dark place still con-
tinued to shine, and it still continued to be their duty, not
only as much as before that event, but still more, to take heed
to it.
Others have supposed that the persons addressed are — as is,
indeed, plain — true Christians, and that what the apostle said is
this : ' In the present state, in which there is so much darkness
in the world, in the church, in the hearts even of the most en-
lightened, it behoves Christians to study the prophetic word,
that they may become more and more established in the faith
of the truth ; and if they do so, the Holy Spirit vnW disco^-er
to them the true glory and excellency of the Gospel — they
will have in their hearts, as it were, the dawn of the heavenly
day. Jesus, the bright and Morning Star, will be formed in them
the hope of glory ; so that, looking to the light of prophecy and
other external evidences of the truth of Christianity, will, if
not needless, become less necessary. The inward witness Avill
take the place of the outward witness.' — This interpretation,
though strongly urged by so good and judicious a man as Mr
Scott, seems to me anything but satisfactory. Christians are
never to seek, never to hope, to find in themselves anything
which Avill supersede the necessity of studying the prophetic Avord
— the inspired Scripture, in its meaning and evidence. There
is no true light within, that does not proceed from the light
Avithout, brought into the heart by the operation of the Holy
Ghost ; and Christians are not to look forwai'd to any period
Avhen thev maA^ dispense Avith the dutv of carefulh' taking heed
to the sui'e Avord of prophecy. I believe that the Christian Avho
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 205
lias most light within is the Christian who keeps up the most
constant and intimate intercoai'se with the hght without —
Christ in the Word. The light within, if not a reflection of
this light without, whatever it be called — reason, the Christian
consciousness, the unwritten word, the inward, not the histori-
cal Christ — will be found to lead but to bewilder — to dazzle
and to blind.
The view which seems to me best to harmonize with the
apostle's object and w^ith the general analogy of faith, while
it does no violence to the words of the inspired text, is that
which considers the dark place as the present world, during
the Christian dispensation, viewed either in reference to the
church as a body, or to inchvidual Christians ; and the day
breaking, and the appearance of the Day Star, as referring —
according as you take one or other of these views — to the in-
troduction of the final state of glory at our Lord's second
coming, or to the introduction of the individual saint at
death into the light of the celestial state.
This world is a dark place — full of the darkness of igno-
rance, and eri'or, and sin, and misery — unbroken darkness
in heathen regions — predommating darkness, even in those
countries wdiere the light is not unknown. The kingdom of
the god of this world is the kingdom of darkness ; and
even the visible kingdom of our Lord — the Church — though
a region of light when compared with the world lying in dark-
ness under the wicked one, is but very partially illuminated.
How much ignorance, error, and sin, are to be found within its
limits ! How else should there be so much division, so much
diflPerence of sentiment, so much alienation of affection !
What indistinct apprehensions of divine truth — what strange
misapprehensions with regard to each other prevail among
Christian churches ! How just the prophet's description —
" We grope for the wall as the blind, and we grope as if we
had no eyes ; we stumble at noon-day as in the night." The
only true light, either in the church or in the world, is that in-
spired book of which the prophetic word forms so large and
so important a part. We expect no new revelation. Things
20C^ THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PAllT II.
can become better, with regard to the world and to the church,
m no other ^xaj than in men learning to give more eamest*^
heed to the ^\Titten — spoken word. In this way, both the
world and the church will become more and more enlio-ht-
ened ; but perfect light will not be obtained " till the day
break and the shadows flee away," at the second coming of
Him who is the Light of the world, and who will then intro-
duce His collected perfected people into a state of perfect
knowledge, purity, and happiness — where they shall no longer
" see through a glass darkly, " or know only in part ; but
where they shall "see face to face," and "know as they are
known" — being made like Him Avho is light — " seeing Him
as He is." " There shall be no night," no darkness " there."
Then will there be no more need to take heed to the sm'e
word of prophecy — no more need to study the inspired
volume : the W^ht of revealed truth will be lost in the lioht of
celestial glorv. "The sun shall be no more their lisht bv
day, neither shall the moon give light unto them. The Lord
shall be unto them an everlasting lio-ht, and their God their
glory." Meanwhile, till that glorious period, the prophetic
Vord — the inspired book — is the light of a dark world and
an imperfectly enlightened church ; and, till then. Christians
will do well to take heed to it.
The words admit of an easy application to the case of the
individual Christian, as well as to the state of the world and
of the church. Not onlv has the Christian a dark world
around him, but within him there is a little, very imperfectly
enlightened world. It was once all dark. Once he was
darkness, now he is light in the Lord — enlightened with the
light of the living God. And he became thus enlightened
just by receiving the Avord of truth into his mind and
heart, and by imderstanding and believing it, under the in-
fluence of the Good Spirit — " The entrance of God's word
gave light." Still there is much ignorance, error, sin, and
discomfort, in every Christian. The light Avhich shines
itnthin shines in a dark place. To have more light, he must
obtain it ft'om unthout — from that inspired book — which is
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 207
the reservoir of heavenly Hght ; for " the cominaiidmeiit is a
lamp, and the law is a light." And it must be brought into
his heart not without, but by, the study of Scripture, imder the
guidance of the Good Spirit. Thus is the Christian to
become more and more enlightened — the light so diffusing
itself, that there shall be no part dark in him. Thus is
he to grow in knowledge, in holiness, and happiness, by
taking heed to the prophetic word — the written relevation.
But so long as he is here, in the region of darkness, he never
will be fully enlightened. But blessed be He who has made
the light to arise on us, the Christian is not to continue here
for ever. Death, which consigns his body to the darkness of
the grave, opens to the separated spirit the gate of light and
life — introduces it into the pure light of paradise — where
there is no error, no sin, no suffering. " The Lord God
shall be his everlasting light, and the days of his mourning
shall be ended." The blessed Bible — the word of prophecy —
the volume of inspiration — has now served its purpose. Led by
it, the Christian is now in the land of perfect light. In a sense
far higher than that in which the words can be applied to
any state of knowledge and happiness attainable here be-
low, " He walks in the light of the Lord," " with whom
is the fountain of light," and " in His light he sees light"
— beholding His face in riohteousness, and beino; satisfied
with His likeness. This is Avhat taking heed to the inspired
word will assuredly lead to. Following any other light will
have a different result. " They who kindle a fire, who com-
pass themselves about with sparks, may walk in the light of
their own fire, and in the sparks which they have kindled." But
what saith the Lord '? " This shall ye have of My hand, ye shall
lie down in sorrow." Do not they " do well," then, who take
heed to the prophetic word ? Is it not the dictate of an en-
lightened regard to our own interest, and that of others, that
we should do so ?
Here we see, then, how the world — how the church — ^liow
inchviduals are to be made what they ought to be. It is the
light of divine tnith, enshrined in the inspired word, that is
208 THE apostle's resolutions. [rAr.T IT.
the appropriate and only effectual means of gaining these
ends. The only way of enlightening a dark world is the
cari'ying the torch of revelation throughout it, and the calling
on its inhabitants to use that only true light for its appointed
purpose — to guide their feet in the way of peace. And how
is the church to become what she should be, but by quench-
ins or tiu'uinp; awav from the false liohts of tradition, huninn
authority, and vain philosophy, and taking heed to the light
shining in a dark place as the sure detector of what is false
and wrong, and the only discoverer of what is true in doctrine,
and right in worship, polity, and general conduct ? In every
movement towards supposed, it may be real, improvement,
let us say — " To the law and to the testimony" — if there be
light in these reformers, they will be able to show that what
they propose is according to the written word ; if they speak
not according to the law and testimony, it is a proof that
there is no light in them. And how are we, as indi^aduals,
to secure oiu'selves from all the evils, present and future,
rising out of that darkness without and within, which is our
o"v\Ti natural element, but by thankfully availing ourselves of
the day-spring fi'om on high, which has found its way to
our dark world, into our dark hearts — yielding ourselves up
unreservedly to its guidance. The light shining in the dark
place is Christ speaking in His word ; and " he who followeth
Him shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life." " His path will be like that of the shining light, which
shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
But what will become of him who, though the light shines
in darkness, will not take heed to it ? To him the day will
never dawn — the day-star will never arise in his heart.
The dark place will become darker and darker. His feet
shall stumble on the dark momitains ; and, when he looks for
light, it will turn into the shadow of death. He who, by re-
fusing to take heed to the light shining in the dark place,
shows that he loves darkness rather than light, because his
deeds are evil, shall find too late that the darkness he loves
leads to a darkness out of which he would gladly escape,
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 209
but never shall be able — to that dark place in which no light
shall ever shine — " the outer darkness, where there shall be
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth" — " blackness of
darkness for ever and ever." " Yet a little while is the light
with you : walk while ye have the light, lest the darkness
come upon you" — the moonless, starless, unending night of
hopeless misery. Take heed to the light now shining in a
dark place, else it must come to this, God only knows how
soon, how suddenly. Take heed — what I say to one I say to
all — take heed. Once more, careless sinner, thou hast been
warned : it may be only this once more. Despise, neglect
this warning : down may come the thunderbolt. The bow
is bent; the arrow is on the string: in a moment — in the
twinkling of an eye — it may transfix thy heart. " He that,
being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy." Take heed to the light
shining in a dark place !
II. The divine oi'igin of the Prophetic Word,
I proceed now to the consideration of the other reasons
why the apostle recommends Christians to " take heed " to
the prophetic word. "Ye do well to take heed" to the
prophetic word, " knowing this first, that no prophecy of
the Scripture is of any private interpretation ; for the pro-
phecy came not of old time," or ' at any time' " by the will of
man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost."
" Knowing this first," is just equivalent to ' seeing you are
aware that what I am about to state respecting prophecy is a
first principle, a primary and important truth.' Wdiat that
truth is has long been, and still is, a subject of controversy
among interpreters. All admit that the apostle is giving a
reason why Christians should take heed to the word of pro-
phecy— the WTitten word. Some suppose that the reason is
twofold, arising partly out of the difiiculty of rightly inter-
preting and the hazard of misinterpreting the prophetic word,
which make it necessary that they should take heed to it ; and
o
210 THE apostle'8 kesolutions. [pakt ir.
jiartly out Tof the divine origin of the prophetic word, which
gives it an anthoritati\:« and infallible character, and makes
it imperatively obligatory on them to take heed to it : and
they consider the apostle as further stating that the second
reason rises out of the first, — viewing the 21st verse as as-
signino; the reason for what is said in the 20th, as well as
containing an additional reason for performing the duty re-
commended in the 19th. Others are of opinion that the
reason given is strictly one — the divine origin of the pro-
phetic word ; and that the 21st verse is not a reason /o?', but
an explication q/, what is contained in the 20th. This last
mode of viewing the passage, seems to me the just one, and
the reasons for which I account it so, will naturally come out
in oiu" inquiry into the meaning of the passage.
Tlie words, " no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private
interpretation," admit of and have received a considerable
variety of interpretation. The expression, " no prophecy of
Scripture," is just equivalent to, '• no portion of the prophetic
word,' which, while not excluding a direct reference to what
is peculiarly prophetic — prediction, I consider^Jas in effect
synonymous with ' no part of inspu-ed Scriptm-e.'^ The term
translated "interpretation,"- occurs in the New Testament
in this place only, and but seldom in any part of the extant
Greek writei*s. It is used to signify interpretation of ch'eams
or oracles, and admits, from its etymology, of being also ren-
dered " disclosure." " The English word, private," as Bishop
Horsley very justly remarks, "does but very darldy, if at all,
convev to the understandino; of the English reader the force
of the original word to which it is meant to answer. The
word denotes that peculiar appropriation of the thing to
which it is joined, to some thing," or person, " previously
mentioned or referred to, which is expressed in English by
the word own, subjoined to the pronouns of possession." In
the expressions rendered, " our oxen power" — " His oum
^ " Understand by prophecy of Scripture, that which is contained in
the Holy Scriptures." — Calvin, Owen's Translation.
SEOT. IT.] (JROUNDS OF THEM. 211
blood" — "a prophet of their o«v?," the word is the same as
that which is here rendered by private.
In the sense of interjwetation, the declaration may be con-
sidered as referring either to the propliet who gave forth the
prophecy, or to the prophecy itself, or to the reader, whom
the apostle encourages to take good heed to it. In the first
case, the meaning would be ' the prophet cannot interpret
his own prophecy.' Within certain limits that is true, and
the fact stated in the 21st verse is the reason why it comes
to be so. The prophets did not, in many instances, fully
understand their own predictions, i.e. they did not in many
cases distinctly apprehend the time when, or the events in
which, their prechctions were to find their accomplishment.
Noah certainly did not perceive all that is meant in his re-
markable prophecy : " Japhet shall dwell in the tents of
Shem." Daniel on one occasion says, " I heard but under-
stood not." And our apostle, in the first chapter of his first
Epistle, states distinctly that " the prophets, when the S}Hrit
of Christ which was in them did testify beforehand the suffer-
ings of Christ and the glory that should follow, inquired and
searched diligently what, and what manner of time the Holy
Spirit did signify:" and this rose out of the fact that the re-
velation they made was one made to them — given them to
utter and record — a fact which did not necessarily imply that
they should fidly understand it. Yet, at the same time, I
do not think that it could be truly said with regard to the
prophets, that in no case could they interpret their own pre-
dictions. In many cases the meaning of their predictions
must have been perfectly clear to them ; and it may be very
fairly doubted if in any case they were employed, like the
false prophet's ass, to utter words to which they themselves
attached no meaning. In every case they probably attached
to the w^ords ideas, and the right ones so far as they went ;
though in very many cases there was far more in their pro-
phecies than they were aware of. This first view, then, is
untenable, as being inconsistent with truth, and also incon-
gruous with the context ; for surely it would be no grent
212 THE apostle's resolutions. [pAKT II.
encouragement to ns to attempt the intei'jiretation of the
prophecies, that it haffled the prophets themselves.
If the expression " private interpretation," be considered as
referring, not to the prophets but to the prophecy itself, then
the meaning comes out — ' no prophecy of Scripture is of self-
inteq)retation' — i.e. furnishes the means of understanding
itself. This is a statement which may, like the one we have
just disposed of, be upheld within certain limits. There are
many particular prophecies which, vicAved apart from the
system of prophecy, cannot be rightly inteqireted ; and un-
fulfilled prophecies generally, are so expressed as to remain,
to a certain degree, obscure till their accomplishment. But
while this is true, it is equally true that the inspired writings
generally, and even very many of the predictions properly
so called, are expressed in the plainest language ; and nothing
is necessary, in order completely to understand them, but
that they be read with a moderate degree of attention and
intelligence, so that it cannot be said Avith truth that no pro-
phecy of Scripture, no divine oracle, is of self-inteqiretation.
The Bible, A-iewed as a AAdiole, is certainly a self-interpreting
book, and the same character belongs to very many of its
portions separately considered. That there are difficulties in
inteii^reting the Bible generally, and the prophecies in par-
ticular, is undoubted ; and this fact furnishes a reason Avhy
we should take heed to the prophetic Avord ; yet still, Ave
should scarcely haA'e expected that the apostle Avould urge
this as a principal reason for its careful study. " A light
shining in a dark place" is not, as some seem to haA'e thought,
intended to indicate the obscui'ity of the prophecies. The
place is dark, but the light is not dim, it is bright and easily
discerned. If it Avere not so, Iioav Av^ould it serA'e its purpose ?
The third reference of the phrase " priA^ate intei"jiretation,"
that which makes it look not to the prophets nor to the pro-
phecies, but to the students or interpreters of the prophetic
word, does not, I apprehend, bring out a more satisfactory
meaning. Without doubt, individuals are not, in interjireting
Scripture, to act arbitrarili/, and giA^e to particular passages
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF TIIEM. 213
whatever sense may please their fancy, or seem to be necessary
to support some favoui'ite dogma. Holy Scripture, like any
written composition, is to be interpreted according to the
general laws of interpretation, modified by the circumstances
of the case. But though arbitrary interpretation was a com-
mon fault among Jewish interpreters (as it has been too
common in all ages among Christian interpreters), yet it
would seem a strange thing for the apostle to embody a
caution against this practice in giving a reason why men
should take heed to the prophetic word.
In certain quarters, however, the words have been very
generally considered as directed, not so much against arhitrary
as against individual interpretation of the Holy Scriptm'es.
They have been represented as condemning the liberty of
private judgment in reference to the meaning of Holy Writ.
This is the view wdiich Romanists take of the passage : they
find in it the sanction to then* doctrine, that the Church is
the only authorised or safe interpreter of Scripture ; or, as the
Rhemish annotators remark on this text, that " the Scriptures
cannot be rightly expounded of every private spirit or fantasie
of the vulgar reader, but by the same spirit by which they
were written, which is still resident in the church," i.e, the
Church of Rome.
The baselessness, impudence, and absurdity of such a claim,
is well exposed by the able prelate whom I have already
referred to. " The claim of infallibility, or even of authority
to prescribe magisterially to the opinions and consciences of
men, whether in an individual, or in assemblies and collections
of men, is never to be admitted. Admitted ? It is not to be
heard with patience, unless supported by a miracle : and this
very text of Scripture is mn.nif.^stly, of all others, the most
adverse to the arrogant pretensions of the Roman pontiff.
Had it been the intention of God that Christians, after the
death of the apostles, should take the sense of Scripture, in all
obscure and doubtful passages, from the mouth of an infallible
iuterjireter, whose decisions, in all points of doctrine, faith,
and practice, should be oracular and final, this was the
214 THE AJ'08TLi:"8 liESOLLTlONlS. [I'AKT 11.
occasion for the apostle to have mentioned it — to liaA^e told us
plainly whither we should resort for the unerring explication
of that prophetic word, which, it seems, so well deserves to be
studied and understood. And fi'om St Peter, in particular,
of all the apostles, this information was in all reason to be
expected, if, as the "vain tradition goes, the oracular gift was
to be lodged with his successors. This, too, was the time
Avhen the mention of the thing was most likely to occm* to the
apostle's thoughts ; when he was about to be removed from
the superintendence of the church, and ^^as composing an
epistle for the direction of the flock, which he had so carefully
fed, after his departure. Yet St Peter, at this critical season,
when his mind was filled with an interested care for the wel-
fare of the church after his decease — upon an occasion which
might natm'ally lead him to mention all means of instruction
that were likely to be provided — in all these circumstances St
Peter gives not the most distant intimation of a living oracle
to be perpetually maintained in the succession of the Roman
Bishops. On the contrary, he overthrows their aspiring-
claims, by doing that which supersedes the supposed necessity
of any such institution."
Instead of referring his readers to any infallible human in-
terpreter, the apostle calls on them, each for himself, to take
heed to the prophetic word, " as to a light shining in a dark
place." It would, indeed, have been strange, if Peter here
had stated a principle so opposite to that of his beloved brother
Paul. " I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say." —
" Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." It has been
very justly said, " If the people are not to understand for
themselves, they must not understand at all : for no man can
iudiie with another man's understandino;, anv more than he
can see with another man's eyes." Besides, it were strange for
the apostle to enforce his recommendation, that every man
should take heed to the prophetic word, by telling him in effect
that the less heed he took for himself to the written word, and
the more completely he gave himself up into the hands of certain
infaUibIe'mter\n'eters of that word, it would be the better for him!
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 215
It appears to nie impossible to bring out of the words a
satisflictory meaning, if " interpretation" is held to be the true
sense of the original term. I therefore go along Avith those
interpreters, the judicious Calvin at our head, who consider
the word as meaning disclosure, or utterance. In this case the
reference cannot be either to the propliecy or to the student
of prophecy — but must be solely to the prophet himself. No
pi'o])hecy of Scripture is of self-cUsclosure. The Scriptui'e
propliecy comes forth, not from an impulse originating in the
prophet himself. It comes forth from an impulse from without
— an impulse from above. The Prophecies are not the dreams
of an excited imagination. They are not the wise conjectures
of " old experience," which, as the poet says sometimes, —
" does attain
To bometliing like prophetic strain." ^
Far less are they crafty inventions, intended to serve selfish
purposes. They were not given forth in the exercise of the
common faculties of human nature, or under any of the ordin-
ary influences to which men are subjected.^
Their true character is farther described in the words which
follow. They were not of se^-disclosure, but of divine : — As
the evidence from miracles did not rest on " cunningly-devised
fables," so the evidence from prophecy did not rest on oracles
orio-inatino; either in fraud or enthusiasm. In the one case —
there was the testimony of eye-witnesses respecting events of
a decidedly miraculous character, and in the other the fulfil-
ment of undoubted Divine prediction. " For the prophecy
came not in old time" — or rather, as you find it in the
margin, " came not at any time" — " by the will of man ;
1 Milton.
2 This mode of exegesis (1) satisfies the universal term in the proposi-
tion T^-ciaot, TrpoCp. ; (2) explains the use of yiutron, which, as Camerarius
says, '•' ortum signiticat ; (3) intimates that the light which shines in a
dark place did not originate there ; (4) furnishes a strong motive, yivua-/,(,)u,
for taking heed; and (5) draws after it (yoi/s) the more explicit state-
ment of ver. 21. No other interpretation meets all these points." — Dr
John Lillie.
21(i THE apostle's RESOLUTIONS. [PAKT II.
but holy men of God spake as they were moAed by the
Holy Ghost."
Prophecy, in the strict sense of the Avord — prediction of
ftiture events — cannot come by the Avill of man. No man,
without DiA^ne illumination, knows the future certainly,
^lan may calculate and conjecture as to future events, but he
cannot prophesy. When he has tried it he has generally made
only a mortifying chsplay of his oa\ti ignorance and folly.
The Supreme Ruler claims the future as His peculiar domain,
and Avhen men attempt to intrude into it, he appropriately
punishes them, by " frustrating the tokens of the liars, and
making the diviners" appear to be Avhat they are, " mad :" by
" turning the A\dse backAA^ard, and making their knoAvledge
foolish." The prophets, in speaking, A\'ere not regulated by
their oAvn suggestions, but by suggestions presented to their
minds fi'om a hioher source.
And the Avhole body of reA^elation has the same character.
The books of the Old Testament, and those, too, of the New,
Avere not the result of human, but of Divine aaIII. Human
AA'ill, like human understanding, Avas exercised in their com-
position and publication ; but it Avas human miderstanding
and AA-ill entirely imder the control of DiAdne understanding
and AA'ill. The inspired Avriters did not AArite Avithout or against
their oAAni Aolition ; but they AATote just AAhat, and as God Avilled
them. They did not act — like the false prophets spoken of
by Jeremiah,^ AAdio spoke a Aision out of their OAvn heart,
and not out of the mouth of the Lord — of whom JehoAah
says, " I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran ; I have
not spoken to them, yet they prophesied."
" Holy men of God spake as they were moA'ed by the Holy
Ghost." The prophets Avere " men of God — or " God's men"
— men admitted to a peculiar intimacy AAath Him — to Avhom
He revealed, as it AA'ere, His secrets — His confidential servants,
whom He employed in making known His Avill to others.
They Avere " holy men of God" — AAnth scarcely an exception,
' Jeremiah xxiii. 16-21.
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 217
they were so in the ordinaiy sense of the word holy. They
were, and it was obviously proper that they should be not
only good men, but eminently good men — men distinguished
for their piety and purity of character — men to whom the
description given of Levi by Malachi was applicable — " They
feared Jehovah, and were afraid of His name : the law of
truth was in their mouth, and iniquity was not found in their
lips : they walked with God in peace and equity, and turned
away many fi'om their iniquity." It would have been a shock-
ing incongruity had it been otherwise. Such men were Moses,
and Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and, indeed, all the prophets whose
writings we have in Scripture. We know, fi'om the cases of
Balaam and Saul, that prophetic influence could be brought
to bear on the minds of bad men ; but, without an excep-
tion, those who were habitually, or even frequently, its sub-
jects, appear to have been men of high religious and moral
excellence. It may, however, be doubted if that is the primary
idea here. The proper signification of the word " holy" is
separated — set apart. They who spoke and wrote prophecy
were men set apart for the purpose. Prophecy was not a
profession a man could adopt at his pleasure. No man could
take this honour on him but those chosen of God to the ofiice
of prophet, as Aaron was to the office qf priest, and hence
called " the saint" the sanctified of the Lord. Instead of
prophecy coming by the will of man — men, separated, sancti-
fied by God for the prophetic office, spake, when they gave forth
prophecies, not as their own reason or imagination dictated,
but " as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
The Holy Ghost is that Divine Person, who, along with the
Father and the Son, exists in the unity of the Godhead. To
Him, in Scripture, direct Divine operation on the human mind
is usually ascribed. He was the true author of prophecy.
What David the prophet says might be said by all the pro-
phets— " The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word
was in my tongue." The expression " moved" is a strong-
one — carried away — mo^ed as a vessel is by a strong wind.
In ordinar}' cases inspiration seems to have gently carried the
218 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II.
human will along with it, but in cases of reluctance the will
was overborne. Thus Ave find Jeremiah, under the inspiring
influence, exclaiming, " Thou hast over-persuaded me" — for
that is the meaning of the word unhappily rendered deceived —
" and I Avas over-persuaded ; Thou art stronger than I, and
hast prevailed : I am in derision daih^ ; every one mocketh
me. Then I said I will not make mention of Him, nor speak
any more in His name ; but His word Avas in mine heart as a
biu'ning fire shut up in my bones, and I AA^as Avear}^ of forbear-
ing, and I could not stay." The general sentiment is, the
prophetic Avord is not so properly the AA^ord of the inspired man
as of the inspiring Spu'it. It is not so much the Avord of man
as the Avord of God.
This is true of all the contents of the Bible. With regard
to the writings of the Old Testament, Paul's testimony is,
" All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." With regard
to those of the New, Peter conjoins, as of equal authority, the
words spoken before of the holy prophets, and the command-
ments "of us, the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;" and
Paul thus declares the character of his teachmg, and that of
his apostolic brethren — " My speech Avas not AAith enticing
Avords of man's AA'isdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit,
and of power ; that your faith should not stand in the Avisdom
of man, but in the power of God. We speak the A\'isdom of
God in a mystery, which God has rcA'ealed to us by His
Sjiirit — not in Avords which man's wisdom teacheth, but in
Avords taught us by the Holy Ghost."
You see, then, hoAv poAverful a reason for taking heed to
the prophetic Avord is folded up in the 20th and 21st verses.
WHiat God reveals must be Avorth attending to. It may be
expected to require, and it must deserve at once the most
reA'erent attention, and the most implicit faith. It is not
human conjecture — or statement — or reasoning ; it is Divine
revelation, and therefore unfathomably deep, infallibly true,
and supremely authoritative as the rule of faith and duty.
It cannot be disregarded Avithout consummate folly and deep
guilt. To disregard it is the very reA^erse of right, Avise, or
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 219
safe. The serving its purpose, " as a light shining in a dark
place/' depends on being not of self- disclosure, but the work
of men who " spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
It could not have served this purpose if it had been other-
wise— and being so, it cainiot but serve it in the best way.
Like the Author of light, from v^diom it comes, revelation is
clear, steady, unchanging — clouds may prevent us from seeing
it, but nothing can dim its intrinsic lustre. It is a true light,
making every thing enlightened by it appear to be what it is
— a portion of the light in which He, who can make no mis-
take, sees all things.
What the prophetic word — what the inspired Scriptures —
were to those to whom the apostle wrote, they are to us —
A\itli this difference, " we have the prophetic word" even " more
confirmed" than they had it. Many predictions have been
accomplished since then : and we have much more inspired
Scripture than they had — a larger, as well as a clearer, Bible.
At that time a church was rich, that had a single Gospel
and one or two of the Epistles : and the amount of evidence
for the divine origin of the Scriptures generally has, since that
time, been greatly increased. It is still increasing. If they
did icell to take heed to the prophetic word, surely ice will do
very ill if we do not. Reverent study of the inspired word is
at once the symptom of a healthy, and the means of producing
a vigorous Christianity. Among the good signs of oiu' time
is a growing disposition to take heed to the Word of God.
May it increase abundantly, to the spiritual improvement of
individuals, and to the prosperity and advancement of the
church of God ! A well understood Bible is the only basis of
a sound theology, an enlightened piety, practical godliness,
solid comfort, and extensive useftdness. It is this that " makes
the man of God — the Christian minister perfect, thoroughly
furnished to every good work ;" and it is this alone wdiich can
make any man "wise to salvation, through faith that is in Christ."
I have thus, at considerable length, considered the apostle's
principal ground for his two resolutions — that those to whom
he WTote should, while he lived, be reminded of the things which
220 THE apostle's resolutions. [part ti.
lie luul written, and sliould not be suffered to forget them after
he was dead — namely, the firm con\'iction he liad of the truth
of the testimony which he and his apostohc brethren had been
led to give of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus — resting
on tlieir having been eye-witnesses of mu'acles performed and
prophecies fulfilled ; and I have also explained the recom-
mendation which he connects with the statement of this evi-
dence— to " take heed" to the prophetic Avord, " as a light
shining in a dark place" — being, indeed, an infallible revela-
tion of the Divine will.
2. His deep impressio7i of the imp>ortance of tchat he had stated
to them.
Another reason on which the apostle grounds his resolution
is, his deep impression of the importance of what he stated to
them ; for this led him to form the resolution to do every
thing in his power, that while he lived they should not forget
them, and that, even after his death, they should remember
them. This idea is folded up in the word " wherefore," at the
beginning of the 12th verse. Since these thino;s are so, " I
Avill not," etc.
He was persuaded, in the judgment of charity, that they
were true Christians ; and therefore could not but take an
interest in them as brethren, and especially as a part of the
charge his Lord had given him when He said, " Feed my
sheep." He considered them as having obtained " like precious
faith" with him and his apostolic brethren (ver. 1); as pos-
sessed of grace and peace, though requiring both to be mul-
tiplied (2) ; as having been " called by a glorious power"
(8) ; and as having been not only called, but also chosen of
God (10). He was convinced that the glory of their Lord,
and then* own true happiness, were closely connected with
their " making then' calling and election sm-e" (10). He
was equally persuaded that this could be done only by their
acting out the character which the faith of the Gospel, where
genuine, naturally forms — by " adding to their faith A'irtue,
iuidto \irtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 221
temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness
brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity" (5—7).
He knew that they had been fui'nished with everything that was
necessary to enable them to enter on and prosecute this course
— "all things that pertain to life and godliness exceeding
great and precious promises" (3, 4). He was aware of the
very deplorable consequences which would result from their
abandoning this course, or even slackening in it — spuitual
lassitude, barrenness, blindness, hazard of falling (8, 9).
He was equally aware of the glorious consummation to which
such a constant continuance in well-doing, as he recommended,
would certainly lead — spiritual alertness, finiitfulness, far-sight-
edness, and, ultimately, " an abundant entrance into the ever-
lasting kingdom of ourLord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (8-11);
and he was well acquainted with the many powerftil tempta-
tions, from without and fi-om Avithin, which tended to make
them forget and neglect these duties.
With such feelings towards them — such convictions respect-
ing them, and what he had said to them — how could he but
resolve that no exertion on his part should be wanting to keep
them in memory of that doctrine and law of Christ, by which,
if they continued in the faith of the one, and under the guid-
ance of the other, they should certainly be saved — by which
alone they could be saved — These considerations are as true
now as they were then, and should tell on the resolutions and
exertions of every minister, and especially every old minister,
in reference to the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made
him overseer.
3. His persuasion tliat his death was at hand.
Still, another reason on which the apostle grounded his
two resolutions, was, that he knew — for the Lord had told
him — that his death was at hand. " Knowing," says he,
" that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our
Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me." There can be no doubt
that here the apostle refers to a singularly interesting inci-
dent, recorded in the 21st chapter of the Gospel by John.
222 THE apostle's resolutions. [part II,
" So, Avhcn tliey had dined, Jesus saitli to Simon Peter, Simon,
son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more tlian these ? He saith unto
him, Yea, Lord ; Thou knowest tliat I love Thee. He saith
unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him the second time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me ? He saith unto him,
Yea, Lord ; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto
him. Feed My sheep. He saith inito him the third time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou ISIe? Peter was grieved
because He said to him the third time, Lovest thou Me?
And he said mito Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things ; ThoTi
knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him. Feed My
sheep. Yerily, verily I say unto thee, When thou wast young
thou girdedst thyself, and -walkedst w^hither thou wouldest ;
but when thou shaltbe old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands,
and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou
wouldest not. This," — adds the sacred historian — " This spake
He, signifying by what death he should glorify God."
It is quite possible that oiu* Lord had, about the time this
c})istle Avas written, revealed directly to Peter that the period
for the fulfilment of this enigmatic prediction was at hand ;
but it seems more probable that it was the growing infirmities
of advanced life which told the apostle — now such an one as
Peter the aged — he could not have long to live, and made him
anticipate as near, that death on the cross, by which he was to
be made conformable to his Lord, and by submitting to which
he was to glorify God. He liad now but a short time in which,
by personal exertion, he could promote the cause of his Master,
and the holiness and happiness of his Christian brethren ; and
a meeting with his Lord Avas at hand, more solemn than even
that on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, an intervicAv at whicli
his account must be given how he had executed the charge,
then so impressively given in its triple repetition, " Feed !My
flock — feed ISIy lambs — feed ISIy sheep." He felt that the time
for work was all but over, and the time of account, aye, and
recompense, very near. He was anxious to do as much good
as possible in that short time. He was desirous of creating
means of posthumous usefulness, that he might not cease to
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 223
do flood when he ceased to live — that the church and the
world might be the better for him, till the end of all things.
He wished that the pangs of the cross might not be embittered
with the recollection of unfaithfidness, of opportunities of vise-
fulness neglected or misimproved ; and though very conscious
that his salvation was to be a glorious triumph of sovereign
mercy, an illustrious proof of the power of atoning sacrifice
and regenerating grace — he was desirous that he might not be
ashamed at his meeting with his Master, but receive a full
reward, and be welcomed with " Well done, good and faithful
servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Was it wonder-
ful that, in these circumstances, " he should not be negligent"
to put the brethren always in remembrance of the doctrine and
law of the Lord — to stir them up, by putting them in remem-
brance, " so long as he was in this tabernacle," and to endea-
vour that, after his decease, they might have these things
always in remembrance.
Thus ought all aged ministers and all aged Christians to
act, when the increase of the infirmities of decaying nature,
and the diminishing number of those who beo;an life and labour
with them, give warning that the time of their departure
is at hand. They should open their hearts to the influence
of such intimations, for they come as really fi'om the Lord,
as the stern announcement to Eglon, " I have a message from
God unto thee." Nothing but necessity should lead old
ministers to leave the field of active exertion. An incurable
disease is heaven's messenger, to tell us we must soon die ; and
old age is a disease which no physician can arrest in its pro-
gress, and for which the well-stored repositories of the apothe-
cary furnish no remedy : He who has reached three score years
and ten has had his full allowance of life — die when he may, he
has had full warning — and if he have any hope beyond death,
he has little temptation to wish to protract what he is taught to
expect is likely to be " but labom^ and sorrow — evil days —
years in which he will say I have no pleasure ;" — yet the deep-
felt conviction of even this must not make God's labourer
cease to work — the Christian soldier lay aside his weapons.
224 THE apostle's resolutions. [pAKT II.
Thoiitrli to some degree they may be constrained to with-
draw fi'om labours to which they have become unequal, let
them, in the way they can, be the more diligent in doing some-
thing to promote the interest of the present and coming ages.
Old ministers and old Christians, if they have been enabled
to maintain consistency through life, have peculiar means of
usefulness, which they should take care to improve to the utter-
most. Without obtruding the results of their experience Avhere
they are not desired, they should not withhold them when
they are likely to be useful. They should endeavour to imitate
Moses, and Joshua, and David, and Peter, and Paul, in being
useful to the very end of life. " What their hands find to do,
they should do it with the might" that remains to them, though
that might may be but feebleness, compared with what it once
was, " for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom in the o-rave, wdiither thev ffo." The " word of Christ
should dwell in them richlv," and " in all wisdom they shoidd
admonish" their brethren. They should cMnk into the Spirit
of their ISIaster, whose meat was to do the will of His Father,
and to finish His work, and whose whole life illustrated His
saying, " I must work the work of Him that sent Me while it
is day ; the night cometh, in which no man can work."
I feel, my brethren, that I am now preaching to myself, and
I ask your prayers that the instruction may serve its proper
purpose ; that during the necessaril}^ brief period of life and
service that remains to me (may they end together ! ), I may be
enabled to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, and to
endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these
things always in remembrance. The time in which I can do
you good, and you can deri^'e good from me, is now near its
close. The time of account for both of us is at hand. " The
Judse standeth before the door." It will be wise in me to
preach every sermon I address to you as if it were to be the
last, and wise in you to hear as if you were to hear my voice
no more. We must soon part — may it be amid the hopes
and consolations of the Gospel ! We must meet again —
may it be at the rii>ht hand of "Him who is readv to judire
SECT. II.] GROUNDS OF THEM. 2^5
the quick and the dead !" May we be enabled so " to look to
ourselves," that we lose not those things foi* which so many
discourses have been preached by me and heard by you, but
that Ave may together " receive a full reward." " The Lord
grant unto us that we may find mercy of the Lord in that
day" — "the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal
life."
ADDITIONAL DISCOURSES.
ADDITIONAL DISCOURSES.
DISCOURSE I.
HOW CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW THAT THEY AllE OF THE
TRUTH, AND MAY ASSURE THEIR HEARTS BEFORE GOD.
1 John iii., 19-22. — And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and
shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us, God is
greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if oiu- heart
condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever
we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do
those things that are pleasing in His sight.
The First Epistle of John is a very remarkable composition.
It is unique among the New Testament writings. It has
more the appearance of a written exhortation than of a fami-
liar epistle. While, on a cursory perusal, it may appear to be
a collection of desultory- and unconnected remarks, it is found,
on a more careftil examination, to be an expansion of one great
thought — ' Fellowship with God through Christ Jesus, the
foundation and means, the sum and substance, of holiness and
happiness, is the great end of the Christian revelation.'
From the Epistle^ opening with a reference to a statement
which the apostle had previously made to those to whom he is
writing — a statement which, from the description, appears to
have contained a more detailed account of the great facts
respecting Jesus Christ as " the Word of life," (that is, as he
explains the term, "the manifested life,"^ the revelation of the
1 Chap. i. 1-4. 2 ver. 2.
230 now CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW
Living One — the reA^ealed Li^'ino• One), a fnller statement
of who He was, wliat He became, what He tanght, and
what He did, tlian is to be found in tlie Epistle itself; — there
is considerable probability in the conjecture that it was in-
tended to accompany the foiulh Gospel to those churches for
whose use it was primarily written. For what more accurate
description than that which is contained in the first four
A^erses of this Epistle could be given of that wonderfvd book,
which, commencing with a declaration of " what was fi'om the
bemnnincp " " concemino; the Word of life," — that He was
" in the bemnnino- :" that then He was " with God'" — " was
God ;" "• that all things were made by Him ;" " that in Him
was life," and " that life the light of men" — goes on to declare
that this Word " became flesh, and dwelt" in the midst of
His chosen disciples, Avho " saw His glory, as the glory of the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ;" re-
cords many things they had heard of, and from, and had seen
done by. Him ; and ends with the declaration, that all was
written for this purpose, that they who read it " might believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that belie\ang, they
mio;ht have life throuo-h His name."^
In this brief but precious treatise, the leading truths of
Chi'istianity, though often adverted to, are not largely stated
and illustrated. It is taken for gTanted that those who are
addressed understood and believed these truths ; and it is with
Christianity as an inner life, rather than as a Divine economy
of events, or as a doctrinal statement in reference to this eco-
nomy, that the epistle is chiefly occupied. It is pre-emi-
nently the experimental and practical book of the New Testa-
ment— a book, therefore, which men who have not, through
belicAang, experienced the eft'ects of the truth, can but very
imperfectly understand, and still more imperfectly relisli; but
— for these very reasons which render it obscure and unpalat-
able to "the natural man" — it is a book specially fitted, as
it is intended, to interest and delight " the spiritual man " —
1 Chap. i. 1-4, 14; xxi. 31.
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 231
to promote the comfort and improvement of those who " know
the truth/' and have been " made fi-ee " by it.
Fellowship wath God, the sum and substance of that holy
happiness for which man was made, is the great subject of the
Epistle : — fellowship with God — its nature, as community of
mind, choice, will, affection, aim, operation, and enjoyment;^
its basis — reconcihation through the mediation of the Son, and
transformation through the operation of the Spirit ; ^ the man-
ner in which it is obtained by the individual — the belief of the
truth as it is in Jesus ; ^ the means by which it is to be
maintained — persevering faith and progressive holiness ; * the
causes which tend to interrupt and destroy it — error and sin,
and the imdue influence of the present state of things, espe-
cially of intercourse with the unbelieving and ungodly part of
mankind.^
It has been most justly remai^ked that, in the illustration
of this subject, we do not find " the rich variety in the de-
velopment and expression of ideas, and their remote relations,
which we find in Paul. Here, on the contrary, are a few
essential truths repeated over and over again in simple words,
which, as they fell from the lips of Christ Himself, had stamped
themselves deeply into the susceptible spirit of John, and had
become as it were, ingrown into his own peculiar nature."®
Yet, with all the apparent inattention to logical order which
marks the Epistle, ever}^ statement in it will, I apprehend,
be found to take its place under one or other of the heads
just indicated ; and though the illustrations often run, as
might be expected on such subjects, into each other, the
continuous stream of thought can be in most cases dis-
1 Chap. i. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 ; ii. 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 29 ; iii. 6, 7, 24 ; iv. 7, 8,
]1, 13, 16.
2 Chap. i. 7 ; ii. 1, 2, 20, 27 ; iii. 24 ; iv. 2, 9, 10 ; v. 12, 20.
3 Chap. i. 3; iii. 23; iv. 15; v. 1, 10, 11, 12, 13.
4 Chap. i. 7; ii. 3, 5, 6, 10, 24, 25, 27 ; iii. 6, 7.
■^ Chap. i. 6, 8; ii. 4, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 26; iii. 6. 8, 10, 12,
13 ; iv. 1-6; v. 4, 5, 19.
^ Neander.
2lV2 IKJW CHKISTIAXS MAY KXOAV
ceriieJ without much difficulty, and the leading divisions
marked.^
One of the short sections into which the Epistle divides
itself now lies before us — chap. iii. 19-22 : " Hereby we
know that we are of the truth,- and shall assure," or persuade,
" our hearts before Him ; for if our hearts condemn us, God
is oTcater than our heai'ts, and know eth all things. Beloved,
if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards
God, and whatsoever things w'e ask w'e receive of Him, be-
cause we keep His commandinents, and do those things that
are pleasing in His sight."
The substance of this statement seems to me to be this —
Christians maintain fellowship with God in filial, confidential
prayer, by employing the truth which they believe to quell
the accusations of conscience, which would destroy that fellow-
ship ; and when the conscience, pacified by the truth believed,
no longer condemns, they humbly, yet confidently, ask of God
what the truth has encouraged them to expect — " the supply
of their need," " all heavenly and spiritual blessings ;" and
have in their increased holiness the answer of their prayer,
and evidence in the whole of this spiritual process that they
are indeed "of the ti'uth" — that they are the " chilcb'en of
God," born of the truth, that incorruptible seed, and that this
seed remains in them ; that " the truth makes them free —
fi^ee indeed," giving them " access to God," and " boldness in
His presence," and enabling them to " walk at liberty, keeping
His commandments." '^
' The following partition may be of use to the student of the Epistle:
— Introd. 1-4. Part I.— i. 5-ii. 14; § 1, i. 5-ii. 11; § 2, ii. 12-14.
Part II.— ii. ].5-iii. 18 ; § 1, ii. 15-17 ; § 2, ii. 18-28; § 8, ii. 29-ii. 18 ;
(1) ii. 29-iii. 10; (2) iii. 11-18. Part III.— iii. 19-v. 12 ; § 1, iii. 19-
23; § 2, iii. 24-iv. 6 ; § 3, iv. 7-v. 13; (1) iv. 7-13; (2) iv. 14-19 ;
(3) iv. 20-v. 5; (4) v. 6-13; (5) v. 14, 15. Conclus. v. 16-21.
^ oi7\.'/idiice. does not liere mean truth and sincerity in the general sense,
1)ut as in 2 John 1,2; 3 John 3, 4, 8, " the truth of the Gospel."—
LiJCKE.
^ Hoogeveen, Morus, and Nosselt agree in considering the words " Gotl
is greater than our heart, and know eth all things" as containing the
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TKUTH. 233
I am quite awaro that a xery different meaning has been
brought out of these words by some interpreters. Looking
at the twentieth and twenty-first verses as if they stood by
themselves, annoimcing two statements antithetic to each
other, and unconnected with what goes before and what fol-
lows after — they have considered the tw^entieth verse as inti-
mating that, if a man's conscience accuses him of sin, he ought
to recollect that that condemnation, however severe, is still far
beneath the truth : sin is worse than it appears to the con-
science ; the sinner is more to blame, and in greater danger,
than conscience is aware of. Conscience, hoAvever well-in-
formed and honest, is far inferior to God, both in discerning
what is sin, and what sin is — " God is greater than our heart,
and knoweth all things." If conscience condemns, must not
God also condemn, and condemn with a degree of severity as
much exceeding that of conscience as His knowledge and
holiness exceed ours I ^
On the other hand, the twenty-first verse is supposed to
convey this statement — ' If our conscience does not accuse or
condemn us — if it acquit us of all known and wilfiil sin —
then we have confidence towards God — we are not afraid of
being punished by Him.'
The sentiment which the 20th verse is thus sujiposed to
contain is substantially just; and well would it be for the
thoughtless sinner, if, when his conscience accuses and con-
thought that assures, quiets the mind, when the heart condemns. Erd-
mann, in his lately published commentary, strongly supports this view,
p. 138, etc. : — -" Deus ut consolator majorem corde condemnante se mani-
festabit paterna erga nos caritate, cui gratia peccata nostra, et culpam
extinguens inhabitat. Deum nobis ex ipso genitis patrem propitium et
gratum esse per Christum nos expiantem, summa est sententia totius
orationis superioris. Majorem vim liabet potestas gratise patris, quaj
peccata, quorum conscientia nos arguit, propter sanguinem Christi 'nos
purgantem et expiantem nobis condonat (i. 7, 9 ; ii. 1, 2) qujeque filio-
rum Dei, quorum de conditione sola hie sermo est, certum refugium ct
tons consolationis nunquam exhauricndus manebit."
^ Speaking of such interpreters, Andrese, in his elaborate dissertation,
says tersely, " Absint talcs a conscientiis f eneris magistri."
234 HOW CnKTSTTANS MAY KXOW
condemns him, he would, instead of endeavouring to quiet his
rising alarms by the dishonest shifts of fallen human nature
— such as the hurry of business, the intoxication of pleasure,
and all the endless variety of palliations and excuses — follow
out the thought to its fair consequences, till the ten'ific magni-
tude and certainty of his danger stand out in a form approach-
ing to the reality, and act as a means of " shutting him up to
the faith," by convincing him that he is " shut up under sin,"
— hopelessly condemned if not graciously forgiven; making
him see that there is but one way of escape — " no evasion for
him " but by fleeing for refuge to lay hold on " the hope set
before us in the Gospel;" making him restless till he find
the only safe rest — rest in Christ.
But we have only to look at what precedes and follows, to
see that this is not at all the sentiment in the apostle's mind.
The person he is speaking of is a believer ; one who is " of
the truth," seeking to " assui-e his heart before God " —
seeking " confidence towards God." It is not ' if a man's
heart,' but, " if our heart." Did the words embody the
sentiment commonly supposed to be in them, they would
appear quite irrelevant. The apostle's purpose here is not
to awaken or sharpen the sleeping conscience of the smner,
biit to tranqmlize and console the anxious conscience of the
saint. ^
The sentiment supposed by some to be contained in the
21st verse, "if our heart condemn us not, we have confi-
dence towards God," is, I am afi*aid, worse than irrelevant.
Suppose it to be a general statement, applicable to all
men, unregenerate and regenerate, let us see what we can
make of it. Is it true of an imregenerate man that, if liis con-
science do not condemn him, he may safely assiu'e his heart
before God, and have confidence towards Him ? Alas, alas I
his conscience too often condemns him not, Avhen it should
condemn him. The Pharisee's conscience not only did not
condemn him, but acquitted him : had he cause to assure his
' Liiclce.
THAT THEY AKE OF THE TRUTH. 235
heart before God? He had, indeed, a kind of confidence,
which he had much better have been without ; he justified
himself, but God condemned him. And do you think the
])Oor PubHcan had no confidence before God ? He had none
in himself, but had he been without confidence in the grace of
God, think you he could so have cried " God be merciful to
me a sinner," as " to go down to his house justified? "
Here the interpreters who refer, unwarrantably Ave think,
the 20th verse to the unregenerate, apply the 21st to the
regenerate man, but find that even with regard to him they
can understand it only with very serious limitations. Let us
see what they make of it.
It is readily admitted that it is of high importance that
every believer should, like the apostle, " herein exercise him-
self, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God
and towards man ;" and when false accusations are brought
against him, it is high consolation to be able to say, " our
rejoicing is this, that with simplicity and godly sincerity, not
with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had
our conversation in the world," — maintaining " a conscience
void of offence towards God and towards man," especially
towards those who may think worst of him. But does this
testimony, even when most distinct, lay a foundation for the
Christian's assurino- his heart before God? Is it this that
gives him confidence towards God, when he goes to Him in
prayer ? Was it this that gave Paul, who had this testimony
in a very high degree, his confidence before God? He who
meets not all these questions with a strong denial, knows
little of the Gospel, little of Paul, little of Christian expe-
rience. " Before God," nothing gave Paul, nothing can give
any man, confidence but this, " Christ died for us according
to the Scriptures " — " It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners ; of whom I am chief."
It has been supposed that the reference is to the testimony
of conscience in respect to the law of love mentioned in the
context : ' If our conscience does not condemn us of the
'236 now CHKISTIANS MAY KNOAV
A'iolatiun of this law, then we have confidence towards
God.' But this, while it strangely narrows what has all the
appearance of a general statement, surely does not mend the
matter. Still the question comes back, Can an enlightened
conscience testify to any man that he is free from breaches of
the law of love? — a law which is spiritual and exceeding
broad ; and, Can any testimony of a conscience, whose
spiritual perspicacity and sensibility are both imperfect —
a conscience only partially informed, and possibly some-
what improperly biassed — give a man what the apostle is
obviously speaking of, a true, safe " assurance of heart be-
fore God?" — a well-grounded "confidence towards God?"
Nothing but the finished work of Christ, brought before the
mind in the testimony of God by the Holy Spirit, can do this.
A Christian man knoAvs, that " if he be regarding iniquity in
his heart, God will not hear him " — that indulged sin is in-
consistent with assurance of heart before God, and confidence
towards Him ; and if he be a well-informed Christian man,
lie also knows the cause of this : to wit, that the truth, which
alone can give confidence before God, is not before his mind.
If it were, he could not regard sin in his heart, for the sancti-
fying uniformly accompanies the pacifying influence of the
truth.
" The Cross, when seen, is death to every sin;"
but it is only when seen, that it can exert its full influence.
Wlien the conscience testifies to general sincerity — does not
accuse of any known sin unrepented of, and imforsaken, and
not sedulously guarded against — still there is here no ground
of confidence before God.^ A\liatever I am, I have been a
sinner; I deserve the displeasure of God — I never can de-
serve anything else ; there is much Avanting, there is much
1 It is astounding to find Neander thus interpreting the words — " A
condition of the inner man is here presented wherein man can bring
quiet to his conscience in the view of God the Holy Judge ; wherein he
need not fear the accusings of conscience, through which speaks the judi-
cial voice of God, inasmuch as conscience can convict him of no discord
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 237
wrong ^\ ith ine, notwitlistanding all this sincerity ; and there
is more than a possibihty that, as it is a man giving testimony
in his own cause, the testimony may be unduly favourable.
No, no — I must have another kind of testimony — a greater
witness, even Him " who knoweth all things," to lay a founda-
tion for " assuring mv heart before God " — for " havine; con-
fidence " towards him.
I think enough has been said to show that the ordinary
interpretation of these w^ords is altogether untenable. What,
then, do they mean ? Let us see whether the sense we have
given them does not come naturally out of the words, and is
not supported by other passages of Scripture, as well as by the
facts of Christian experience.
It is of importance to remark, that the connectiv^e particle,
rendered in the text " hereby," and in other places " by this," ^
while it may refer either to what has been said or what is to
be said, seems generally used in the latter way in this Epistle ;
for example, chap. ii. 3, " Hereby we know that we know
Him." How ? — The answer follows : " if we keep His com-
commandments ; chap. ii. 5, 6, " Hereby know we that we
are in Him." How ? — The answer follows : " He that saith
he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk even as He
walked ;" chap. iii. 10, " In this tlie children of God are mani-
fest, and the children of the Devil." In what? — The answer
both goes before and follows. It goes before : "Whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin." It follows after : " Who-
soever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that
loveth not his brother;" chap. iii. 16, "Hereby do we per-
ceive the love of God." How? — "Because He laid down
between his profession and course of life, but he is conscious to himself
of fulfilling the conditions of salvation ordained by God." It is so far
satisfactory to find him saying in the next page, " A reliance on human
righteousness, as available before God, can by no means be meant here,"
but it is not very easy to reconcile the one statement with the other.
'• First Epistle of John practically explained," pp. 221-223. Liicke
comes nearer the truth.
' iu znvru.
238 now CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW
His life for us;" clmp. iv. 2, " Hereby know we the Spirit of
God." How ? — The answer follows : " Every spirit that con-
fesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God;"
chap. iv. 9, 10, " In this was manifested the love of God —
herein is love." In what ? — The answer follows : " Not that
we loved Him, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be
the pi'opitiation for our sins;" chap. iv. 13, ''Hereby we
know that we dwell in Him, and Pie in us." How ? — The
answer follows : " He has given us of His Spirit."
The passage before us is not an exception from this general
usage. The whole of the paragraph contains the evidences of
our being of the truth : " Hereby we know that we ai'e of the
truth," and " hereby shall we assure our hearts before Him."
How? — The answer follows. If this be admitted, then it is
j)lain that the same class of persons is spoken of throughout
— the persons addressed throughout the whole Epistle —
those who are of the truth — believers — those who are in fel-
lowship with God, who not only say that they abide in Him,
but really do abide in Him. How do these persons show that
they are " of the truth ? " How do they " assure themselves
before God?" How do tliey obtain "confidence towards
God?" The answer to the second and third questions is the
answer to the first, and that answer is to be found in the
twentieth, twenty-first, and twenty-second verses.
The question, then, which the text thus brings before the
mind, and to which it furnishes a satisfactory answer, is. How
does a man who is "of the truth" "assure his heart before
God?" — obtain and "maintain confidence towards God?"
And how does the way in which he assiu'es his heart, and
finds confidence, prove that he is "of the trutli ?"
You may observe that it is not the Christian in the abstract
that is spoken of — it is individual Christians seeking fellowship
with God in a particular exercise, the exercise of prayer.
They are desirous of obtaining certain benefits, " heavenly
and spiritual blessings," from Him, and they know that these
are to be obtained by l)elieving prayer. In order to this
thev must " assure their hearts Ijefore Him "'-— tliev must
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 289
" have confidence towards Him ;" for tliey know tliat unbe-
lieving prayer — a strange collocation of terms — is mockery
and insult, and can do God no honour, man no good. They
therefore seek to " assure their hearts" before Him, to obtain
" confidence towards God." They cannot otherwise have ft*ee
access. It is a "fully assured faith" of the truth respecting
the character of God as the God of salvation, that alone can
enable a man to " go boldly to the throne of grace."
The apostle supposes that, from whatever cause, the heart
of those whom he is addressing condemns them — their con-
science condemns them : that is, as I apju'eheud, not only
tells them that they have sinned, but that they are under
condemnation — that God has righteously condemned them,
and will not, cannot revoke His just sentence. This
tends to destroy that assurance of the heart — to prevent
that confidence towards God, which the truth, when first be-
lieved, produced, and which belongs to what may be termed
the normal and healthy state of the man who is " of the
truth." The conscience, if it is honest, must testify to every
man that "he has sinned" — that he "has sin ;" for "if tre,"
even we Christians, " say that w^e have no sin, we deceive
ourselves," and instead of being " of the truth," " there is no
truth in us :" and " if we sav that we have not sinned we
make Him a liar, and His word, " which is truth," " is not
in us."^ Such a testimony does a man good — makes and
keeps him humble ; but is not inconsistent with, nay, is ne-
cessary to " good hope through grace" — the assuring the
heart before God — the having confidence towards God. The
destruction of false hope is necessary to the attainment and
maintenance of true hope ; it is when we have no confidence
in the flesh that we have most entire confidence in the grace
of God, and in the infinite virtue of His Son's atonement, and
the omnipotent energy of His Spirit's influence. But when
the conscience testifies that we are not only sinners, but
unpardoned sinners — not only liable to condenuiation but
' Cliaij. i. 8-10.
240 HOW cimiSTixVNs may know
t'ondeumed, tlien the heart cannot be assured — then there
can be no confidence towards God. A criminal, consciously
guilty, even if he only fears that he is condemned, cannot
have an assured heart — cannot have confidence in the pre-
sence of his offended sovereign and judge.
The apostle is speaking here of true Christians only — of
those who are '' of the truth." But the state of mind here
described is not peculiar to them^ " A condemning con-
science" is a state of mind into which all men are liable to
fall. Its elements are to be found in every human being.
All men are sinners ; all, wdth scarcely an exception, are
in some measure aware of this, and that they, therefore,
deserve blame and punishment. And when this truth is, by
any means, brought strongly before their minds, when their
guilt and danger are seen in the light of the requirements and
sanctions of the Divine law, their hearts are troubled ; if the
truth resardino- the way of salvation throiio-h Christ is not
clearly apprehended, they have no confidence towards God,
and instead of going to Him as the source of happiness,
they retire as far as possible from Him as a source of
danger and suffering. Wlien our first parents' conscience
condemned them, the voice of God filled them \\\t\\ terror,
and thev sought to hide themselves fi'om His eve amid the
trees of the garden.
Before showang how those who are " of the truth " get rid
of the troubled heart and " the fear that hath torment " con-
nected with the accusing conscience, it may serve a good
purpose, to ad^'ert to the manner in which those who are not
of the truth conduct themselves, " Avhen their heart con-
demns" them. The methods they adopt are very various, but
all very different from that which is adopted by those Avho
are " of the truth." Some seek relief in denAano; that there
is in reality any such distinction as that between moral good
and e\'il — dutv and sin — saving in their heart " there is
«/ I/O
no God;" others in the notion, that though there maybe
such a thing as sin, it is not the fearful] v bad and the fatallv
mischievous thing that the Bilile represents it to be ; others
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 241
in endeavouring to find palliations and excuses for their own
sins ; others in God's supposed absolute benignity, which
incapacitates Him fi'oni making any of His creatures perma-
nently miserable, especially for merely yielding to principles
which He has Himself implanted in them ; others in weighing
their good works against their bad ones, and finding that, if
the former do not outweigh the latter, they bring the balance
so nearly to an equipoise, that they can have no reasonable
fear of severe or lasting punishment ; others in the presumption
that they have been converted, for, though conscious of living
in sin, they think that at some former period of life they
experienced deep remorse for sin, followed by ecstatic joys,
and, abusing the doctrine of perseverance, conclude that they
are safe, on the principle, "once in Christ, always in Christ;"
and others still, who have imbibed the monstrous and loath-
some dogmas of Antinomianism, in holding that they are in
every sense free fi'om the law — that what is sin in others is no
sin in them — that being not under the law, but under grace,
where no law is, there can be in them no transgression, for
sin is the transgression of the law. It is not at all an un-
common thing for men to be permitted in all these ways, to
find the delusion they are seeking. Their foolish hearts are
so darkened as "to believe a lie;" and, in consequence of
doing so, they get relief from the terrors of a partially en-
lightened, awakened, and accusing conscience. In this way
many come to say to themselves, " peace, peace," " when
there is no peace," and contrive to pass through life but little
troubled with a condemning conscience, though utterly desti-
tute of spiritual religion, and even living in the habitual
neglect of known duty, and in the habitual commission of
known sin, till, awakened in good earnest by the stroke of
death,
" They read their sentence at the flames of hell."
" For he who will be cheated, to the last
Delusions strong as hell shall bind him fast." ^
^ Cowper.
Q
242 now CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW
In such cases, men cannot be said to " assm-e their hearts
before God,^^ or to have " confidence towards Ilim ;" for they
do not reahze the truth with regard to His existence, and true
character, and their connection with Ilini as their moral Gover-
nor : they are not, in their own feehng, " before God" at alh
In the presence of this truth understood and beheved, such
dehisions can no more exist, than combustible matter con-
tinue unconsumed in the day of God, " wherein the heaveivs,
being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat." When this truth is forced upon the
imregenerate mind, the condemnation of conscience is not so
easily got rid of: "A certain fearful looking for of judgment"
lays hold of the sinner ;
" The conscience then performs its proper part,
And writes a doomsday sentence on his heart :
His hours no longer pass unmarked away,
A sad importance saddens every day ;
He hears tlie notice of the clock, perplex'd,
And cries, perhaps Eternity strikes next :
Sweet music is no longer music here,
And laughter sounds like madness in his ear :
His grief the world of all her power disarms,
Wine has no taste, and beauty has no charms."'
He now feels that he is "before God" — that he has to do
with the holy and just One — and that " it is a fearful thing to
fall into His hands." Out of this abyss of mental misery, there
is but one way of safe escape — the fleeing for refuge to lay
hold on the hope set before the sinner in the Gospel. If this
course is not follov\'ed, the man must either ch'ag on a miserable
life under the burden of a heart-crushing despondency, or he
must have recourse to the opiates which infidelity administers,
or to the intoxication which the sweet but poisonous cup of
that enchantress, " the present evil world," is so potent in
producing.
Let us now consider how the man who is " of the truth,"
1 Cowper.
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 248
conducts himself when " his conscience condemns him." For
even a genuine Christian — a man who has in the faith of the
truth found peace (to say nothing of the strange effect which
bodily disorder sometimes produ^ces in the mind), may be
" condemned " by his heart, in consequence of " letting slip "
the conscience -pacifying, purifying, soul-saving truth, and
by giving way to doubtful or sinful dispositions, by neglect-
ing known duty, and committing known sin. An irrepres-
sible conviction may be forced upon his mind that he is
an unforgiven sinner — the object equally of the judicial con-
demnation, and of the moral disapprobation of God — so that
Avhile he realizes God's presence, his heart is not assured but
alarmed. " When he remembers God he is troubled," and,
instead of having confidence, " his spirit is overwhelmed," he
walks in darkness and has no light. The light of divine love
shines as clear as ever, but a thick cloud, raised by unbelief
and sin, makes it to him invisible : '' his iniquities have
separated between him and his God, and his sins have hid His
face fi'om him." He cannot, he dare not pray ; he has no ac-
cess " with boldness through the one Spirit to the Father."
He cannot doubt that he is not pardoned, and he has sad fears
that he never will be, never can be pardoned. In his own
estimation, he is laid " in the lowest pit — in darkness, in the
deeps." " God's wrath " seems to " lie hard on him." He
is " afflicted and ready to die." He " suffers God's terrors
and is distracted." " His fierce wrath " seems to " go over
him, and His terrors to cut him off" from happiness or hope,
and he says, " The Lord has cast off for ever ; He will be
favourable no more ; His mercy is clean gone for ever ; His
promise fails for evermore." All sensible, comfortable fellow-
ship with God is suspended, and it seems as if it never could
be i^enewedi.
Now, how does the spiritual man obtain relief from this
state of mind ? I will first tell you how he often attempts to
obtain relief, and usually fails, and then show, by explaining
the words before us, the com'se which he ought to take, and
which, sooner or later, he is sure to take, and be successful.
244 HOAV CHRISTIANS UXY KNOW
imcler the influence of the truth whicli, even when obscured,
still abides in him.
When a tiiie Christian comes, from the causes specified
above, to be in doubt and alarm in reference to the safety of
his spiritual state, he is very apt to have recourse to self-ex-
amination. He commences an inquiiy whether he has, in his
past histoiy and conduct, in his habitual dispositions and aims,
the " marks and evidences " of being in a converted and,
therefore, safe state.
Now, I have no doubt that self-examination is an important
duty, and that the conscientious performance of it, like that
of every commanded duty, is one of the means of preventing
a Christian from falling under the power of a condemning
conscience. It is well fitted to repress pride, to produce and
strengthen humility, to stimulate to vigilance, to destroy a
false, and confirm a true peace of mind, and to enable us
to derive from the Holy Scriptiu'es the appropriate warning,
guidance, and consolation, which our circumstances require.
But self-examination is not fitted, nor is it intended, to en-
able the Christian whose heart condemns him, to assure his
heart before God, or to obtain confidence towards Him.
Let a Christian examine himself ever so carefully, and
ever so long, he will not find in himself a ground of hope
towards God — a solid foundation for assurance of heart,
whicli seems just another word for '■' assurance of hope." He
will find nothing in his character and conduct, that meets
the demands of the divine laAv ; he will find that he can-
not make atonement for his sin ; that his obedience to the
holy, spiritual, and exceedingly broad law of God, is very
imperfect, and his violations of it innumerable and inex-
cusable. The more he examines, the more clearly will
he see that "his heart is deceitftil above all things and
desperately wicked, and that innumerable iniquities compass
him about." With the strono- lioht of the law blazing, the
farther he descends into himself, the more is he confounded
at the discoveries he makes ; and oh, how cfreaiy is the waste
of past life, both inward and outward, when surveyed by the
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 245
fires of Sinai ! When, in these circumstances, the sentence
from Ebal sounds loud and awful — " Cursed is every one that
continuetli not in all things which are written in the book
of the law to do them" — what can conscience do but echo,
hoAvever reluctantly, " Amen," I am the man ? Besides, the
question of supreme importance to him, is not so much,
Am I in a safe state ? to which conscience says No, as, How
may I obtain salvation, and the assurance that I shall be
saved? No self-examination will ever enable us to answer
that question.
It is, moreover, of much importance to remark that the
state of a Christian's mind when conscience is condemning
him, is one which, above all others, unfits him for the proper
discharge of the duty of self-examination. A state of agi-
tated feeling is ill-suited for a calm and patient weighing
of evidence, so necessary to a sound judgment and safe con-
clusion. The Christian whose heart condemns him, is in
almost equal danger of making too much and too little
of the evidences of his being; in a state of conversion. It
is the man with a humble hope of eternal life, who alone
dares to look in the face, all that a thorough self-examination
is sure to bring out, as to the number, and heinousness,
and aggravations of his transgressions, and as to the num-
ber and foulness of the abominations that lodaje in his
heart.
And should the Christian succeed in getting such a view
of the evidences of his being in a converted state, as for the
moment quells his fears, on how uncertain a basis does such
assurance of heart — such confidence before God rest? lie who
knows anything like the truth respecting the deceitfulness of
the human heart, will tremble at the thought of trusting to
its testimony in a matter so weighty as hope for eternity.^
^ " Nothing short of a Divine testimony and assurance could have in-
duced the awakened sinner to entrust Christ with his eternal welfare ;
and nothing less will sustain the confidence of a believer who has obtained
a clearer and ever-increasing insight into the preciousness of the redemp-
tion of his soul, or preserve him from distracting doubts and fears amidst
246 now ClIllISTI^VNS MAY KNOW
Having thus shown how unsatisfactory is likely to be the
result of a Christian resorting to self-examination for relief
when his heart condemns him, let us now endeavour to show you
the more excellent way, which the apostle, I am persuaded,
indicates in the words befoi'e us : " If our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things."
There is some difficulty in the construction of these words,
as they stand in the original text. You may connect them
with the word " assui'e " or ' persuade,' in the prcAdous verse,
thus : ' if our hearts condemn us, we will persuade them
before God that He is greater than our hearts and knoweth
all things ; or reading them, with our translators, as a sepa-
rate sentence, you may supply fi*om the preceding verse
the obvious ellipsis — thus : " If our heart condemn us, ice
know that God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all
things."^
I have already shown, satisfactorily I trust, that these
words cannot mean what they are very often understood to
mean, and what, taken by themselves, they may mean : ' that
the temptations and infirmities by which he feels himself daily surrounded
and oppressed. Wo to his peace of mind, and to his hopes of maintain-
ing the struggle against the devil, the world, and the flesh, escaping the
evils of life, and triumphing over death and the grave, if his confidence
were built on anything but the word of the Eternal, who hath confirmed
it by His oath, " that by two immutable things iu which it was impossible
for God to lie, they might have strong consolation who have fled for re-
fuge to lay hold of the hope set before them." Wo to the continuance
of his peace, if it were based on any act, exercise, or attainment of his
own — if it ebbed and flowed under a secondary influence, and if, after
being relieved, quickened, and cheered by direct communications from
the Fountain of Light, he were doomed henceforth to receive all his
comfort by reflection from his own experience." — M'Ckie, Sermons, xv.
p. 272.
^ The repetition of the particle ort is a difliculty in the way of the first
mode of interpretation, though we have a similar instance in Eph. ii. 12,
and such a construction is not uncommon in the classics. Erdmann pro-
duces four from Xenophon's Anabasis. The use of the same particle in
different senses, in so close a connection, is a difliculty in the way of the
second.
THAT TIIEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 247
when oui" heart condemns us, we may well be afraid, for all
that it says about our guilt, is nothing to what God knows ;
and if the lashes of conscience are so terrible, what will
be the unrebated strokes of Him who is greater than our
conscience?' Most assuredly that is a thought which will
not " assure the heart before God," nor " give confidence
towards Him."^
^Vliat, then, do these words mean ? They describe the
Christian whose heart condemns him, as seeking and finding
relief from the condemning testimony of the awakened con-
science, in the acquitting, justifying testimony of God, who is
" greater than," superior in authority to, the conscience, and
greater in knowledge also, for " He knows all things." The
man who is " of the truth," appeals fi'om the lawgiver in the
breast to the Lawgiver on the throne, pronouncing His judg-
ment in the word of the truth of the Gospel. He appeals
from the sentence of the deputy of God in his own bosom,
imperfectly informed, and having a subordinate and therefore
limited authority, to God Himself, the supreme and only
Potentate, avIio knows all thino's.
And what does he find there? He finds Jehovah the
supreme Lord thus proclaiming His name : " The Lord,
the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thou-
sands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin." And
though " He will not," though He cannot, " by any means
clear the guilty," without satisfaction to the injured rights
and honours of His holy and righteous government. He is
yet justifying guilty men " freely by His grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom in the Gospel He
hath set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood
^ " Primum omne Joannis consilium cernitur in tranquillanclis verorum
Christianorum aniniis. Sed quid consolationis est, ac non potius terroris
augendi causa in his ' Si ipsa nos condemnet male factorum conscientia ;
raulto etiam severius erit Dei judicium cui omnia, etiam haec quae ipsi
ignoramusj aut nobis non vertimus vitio, patent et perspecta sunt'?"' —
NoSSELT.
248 now CHRISTIANS may kxow
declariiio; — maiiifestino- — "His rio;hteousness" — His method of
justification — in Avliicli Pie appears at once " the just God,
and the Justifier of liim that believeth in Jesus." He testifies,
" I, even I, am He wlio blotteth out transgressions for My own
sake, and I will not remember your sin." " God is in Christ
reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing to men their
trespasses, seeing He has made Him who knew no sin to be
sin in their room, that they might be made the righteousness
of God in Him." " With God there is mercy, with Him is
plenteous redemption." " God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him, might not perish but have everlasting life." " The
blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sin."
He has died, " the Just in the room of the unjiTst." He has
been "womided for their transgressions, bruised for their
iniquities, the chastisement of their peace has been on Ilim,
and by His stripes they are healed." " If any man sin, God
is faithful and just to forgive him his sins, and cleanse him
from all unrighteousness ; for there is an Advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation
for the sins of the whole world." Pie has " finished trans-
gression, made an end of sin, and brought in an everlasting
righteousness." He has "pm-ged men's sins by Himself."
Pie has " put away sin by the sacrifice of Plimself." " It is
finished." " This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased." " Delivered for men's offences, He has been raised
for their justification." " God has raised Him fi'om the dead,
and given Him glory, that men's faith and hope might be in
Him." " The God of peace brought again from the dead
Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep." " God
was angry, but His anger is tunied away." " Retiu'n to ^le,
backsliding chilcfren, I have redeemed you." " I will heal
your backslidings, I will love you freely." " I am pacified
toward you for all the iniquities you have done."
This is the testimony of God, and He is greater than our
heart. He is in ever}' way greater. Here the reference is to
superior authority and knowledge. The conscience is pos-
THAT TIIEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 249
sessed of only subordinate — Pie of supreme authority. The
conscience may be mistaken, but lie cannot err. The con-
science may justly condemn on its own grounds, while He
justly acquits and justifies on His own grounds, which
conscience cannot know unless He reveals them. Aiid
His acquitting sentence is of more authority than its con-
demning sentence. And as He exceeds the conscience
in authority, so Pie does in knowledge. " He knows all
thino-s." Conscience knows much of us, and mio;ht know
more. Conscience knows, too, to some extent, the requisi-
tions and sanctions of the Divine law ; but it luiows not
what is in the Divine mind — naturally, it is not at all
aware of the plan of mercy. God knows all our sins in all
their heinousness and aggravations ; but PIe knows, too, all
" the pui'pose of mercy which He has purjDOsed in Himself."
He knows better than conscience the unfathomable depths
of our guilt ; but He knows, too, what conscience does not
know at all, the deeper depths of His own mercy. Con-
science can only testify to what it knows. It goes beyond its
proper limits when it testifies, either that sinning man can
or that he cannot, be forgiven. It knows he is condemned
— -justly condemned. It laiows this, and from its own re-
sources can know nothing more. It has no right to say
whether he may not be pardoned, or if so, on what terms.
On these points God has a right to judge ; He can give, and
has given, a testimony, and this is the testimony — " That
God hath given to guilty man eternal life, and this life is in
His Son." When this testimony of God is believed, the
condemning testimony of conscience is silenced. Sprinkled
with the blood of the infinite atonement, the conscience of the
believer in Jesus is pacified, and ceases to condemn — nay, it re-
echoes the testimony of God — it justifies him. It says, " If God
be well pleased why should not I ? I was angry because I
thought He was angry. His anger is turned away, and so is
mine." " There is no condemnation to him who is in Christ
Jesus." "Who shall lay anything to His charge? God
justifies. Wio shall condemn ? Christ died and rose again.
250 HOW CIIRISTI.VNS MAY KNOW
and is at God's right hand, and maketh intercession for him."
It is not for me to " reply against God." ^
Thus does the man who is of tlie truth assure his heart
before God " Avhen his heart condemns him." And as he
does this entirely by " the truth" understood and believed, he
shows that he is indeed " of the truth," just as those who en-
deavour to assure their minds in any other way show that
they are not of the truth.
" When I my wicked heart survey,
And course of life from day to day ;
There's nought to meet my wretched view
But sin, and death, its proper due.
But honour, praise, and glory rise
To Him who reigns above the skies !
To pardon guilt of deepest stains,
Unbounded mercy ever reigns.
Jehovah's Fellow — wondrous grace !
Assumed our nature — took our place ;
His blood upon the cross was shed,
And He was numbered with the dead !
^ " The happy period which was to strike off my fetters, and afford me
a clear discovery of the free mercy of God in Christ Jesus, was noAv arrived.
I flung myself into a chair near the window, and seeing a Bible there,
ventured once more to apply to it for comfort and instruction. The first
verse I saw was the twenty-fifth of the third chapter of the Epistle to the
Romans — ' Whom God hath set forth a propitiation for sins, by faith in
His blood,' etc. Immediately I received strength to believe, and the full
beam of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency
of the atonement He had made, for my pardon and justification. I be-
lieved and received the peace of the Gospel. Unless the Almighty arm
had been under me, I think I should have been overwhelmed with grati-
tude and joy. My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with trans-
port. I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with
love and wonder. How glad should I have been to spend every moment
in prayer and thanksgiving. I lost no opportunity of repairing to a
throne of grace, but flew to it with an earnestness irresistible, and never
to be satisfied." — CowrEu's Narrative.
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 251
See from the dead the First-born come !
The Lord of Life has burst the tomb !
To all the world, from this bless'd hour,
Declared the Son of God with power.
This is enough — 'tis all we need ;
The Lord of Life is risen indeed ;
The vilest wretch that breathes the air
Has now no reason to despair.
Our joy and boast henceforth shall be
In Him who died upon the tree ;
For the great work He finished there
Preserves from doubt and dark despair ! "
This is the first step in the process by which the Christian
makes it plain to himself that he is " of the truth." Let us
now look at the second step.
When the conscience, thus sprinkled by the blood of atone-
ment, in the belief of the testimony of God, is pacified, and
no longer condemns, the Christian has " confidence before
God." " Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have
we confidence towards God."
It is of great importance that we keep steadily in view
wdiat I have already had occasion to remark, that these words
are not to be considered as an isolated statement, nor merely
as the antithesis of the statement which precedes them, but
as a farther illustration of the manner in which a Christian
manifests himself to be " of the truth."
When the Christian has " assured his heart before God" in
the belief of the truth that God who is manifested in Christ
as holy light, holy love, the God of peace, the just yet justi-
fying God, is " greater than his heart," which was con-
demning him, and knows all things, his heart condemns him
no longer. His conscience no longer pronounces him luider
condemnation, an object of Divine displeasure. On the con-
trary, the conscience going along with the declaration of the
Gospel, says to the believer, " In Christ thou hast redemp-
tion through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, accord-
252
HOW CUPtlSTIAlS^S MAY KXOW
to the riches of His grace," " whereby He has iiiade thee
accepted in the Beloved."
" His heart condemns him not." These words do not in-
timate tliat the conscience, sprinkled by the blood of atone-
ment, and brought into harmony with the voice of God in
the Gospel, becomes less perspicacious, less tender, or less
h onest. The conscience that does not condemn, is saying to
the pardoned sinner, more distinctly and impressively than
ever, " Thou hast sinned" — it keeps his sin " ever before him."
He has clearer and more extended views than he ever had of
the evil of sin, and of the number, heinousness, and aggi'a-
vations, of his own sins. Sin, his ow^n sin, never seemed so
loathsome and mischievous as when viewed in the light of the
Divine holiness and love, shining with meridian splendour in
the cross of Christ. He never saw so clearly the extent and
spirituality of the law's requisitions, and the fearful severity,
as well as perfect justice of its sanctions — till he saw the one
exemplified — and the other endured, in the obedience and
sufterings of Him who is " the propitiation for his sins."
When he is made to know the Lord in His true character as
Jehovah, the Saviour, instead of thinking lightly of sin,
instead of palliating or excusing his own sin, " he remembers,
and is confounded, and never opens his mouth any more
because of his shame, when the Lord God is pacified towards
liim for all the iniquity he has done." ^
This is quite in accordance wdth " the heart not condemn-
ing" the person. Lideed, any assurance of the heart before
God, that leads men to think lightly of transgression, and to act
as if they might safely tamper with temptation or commit sin,
must rise from entirely false conceptions of the Divine
character. In such a case it is not God's voice that has
quieted the convictions of conscience. He never says, " Thou
shalt have peace though thou walk in the imagination of
thine own heart." " There is no peace, saith my God, to the
wicked." This is not the peace of God, it is the toi*por of
Ezekiel xvi. 63.
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 253
the conscience — one of tlie surest symptoms of the approach
of the second death.
But wlien the heart ceases to condemn, and, on the con-
trary, acquits, in consequence of its being assured of the
boundless knowledge and power of the redeeming God, the
consequence is, "we have confidence towards God." To
have confidence towards God is something more than to have
the heart assured before God. It is not only to be freed from
fear, but to be filled with trust. It is not only to be at
" peace with God," but it is to have " access with confidence
to Him ;" " to rejoice in hope of His glory," — that is, in hope
of obtaining His full and entire approbation, and to "joy in
Him," as oxu* all-sufficient portion. The rejoicing and the
confidence of hope go together. The believer has a joyful
confidence in God as his Father in Christ, and humbly, yet
doubtingly, expects that He will bless him with " all heavenly
and spiritual blessings ;" that He will " supply all his need
according to His own riches in glory, by Christ Jesus." And
this confidence rests entirely on " the truth," which shut the
mouth of his condemning conscience — the truth respecting
the character of God, made known m the person and work of
His Son, revealed in the word of the truth of the Gospel.
" It rests," as has been well said, " on a foundation about
which there is no uncertainty, which is at all times equally
and unchangeably sure, even the truth that God is what He
is ; and while the Word — that reveals His distinguishing
character and glory as the just God, and the Justifier of the
ungodly, with whom there is forgiveness, yea, plenteous forgive-
ness, and to whom salvation belongeth ; unto whom no sinner
can come, upon whom no sinner can call, without being
accepted of Him and saved by Him — while that w^ord stands
true to my conscience, I want nothing more to " assure my
heart before Him," to bring me to His mercy-seat, with the
boldness of a child, and with the sacrifices of praise for His
unspeakable gift."^ The man "knows God's name," and
^ John Walker.
254 uo^y citrtstians may know
therefore " puts his trust in Him." He has looked to Him,
and been enlightened by the light of His gloiy in the face of
Christ Jesus, and he "rejoices in His name all the day, and
is exalted in His righteousness," glorying in God through
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he has received the recon-
ciliation."
This is substantially the account which the Apostle Paul,
in the end of the 4tli and the beginning of the 5tli chapters
of the Epistle to the Romans, gives of the way in -ohicli a
man " assures his heart before God," and obtains " confidence
towards Him." " Righteousness " — a justification — " shall be
imputed to us if we believe on Him that raised our Lord Jesus
fi'om the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was
raised again for our justification ;" that is, who w\as delivered
"on account of" our offences, wdiich were the ground of our con-
demnation, and was raised "on accoimt of" our justification — i.e.
on account of that which justifies us; and Avhat is that but His
owni finished work, the " one righteousness" which He wrought
out in our room ? ^ " Therefore, being justified by faith, we have
peace with God " — our hearts are assured before Him — " througli
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have also access," and
confidence before Him, " by faith in this grace wherein," or
whereby, "we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also ; knowang
that tribulation" — suffering for the cause of Christ, "worketh"
in us believers " patience" — perseverance, and this persever-
ance "works experience" — trial or proof of the reality of our
faith, and this experience " worketh ho])e which maketh not
ashamed" — cannot be disappointed. It strengthens hope, not
by adcUng to or shifting fi'om the foundation on which it rests,
but by showing that we have built on the right foundation.
And this "hope will never make ashamed" — never disappoint,
because " the love of God is shed abroad in our heart by the
Holy Ghost given to us." Our hope cannot disappoint us, for-
God loves us, and He rests in His love ; and we know that
' §<£«, with the accusative, has the same sense in the two clauses of
Rom. iv. 25, and that its proper sense.
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 255
He loves us, for tlie Holy Gliost enables us to believe the
love of God to men — manifested in His giving His Son to
die for us while we were yet sinners. Thus does the non-
condemning conscience — the acquitting conscience — give us
" confidence before God." ^
This portion of Christian experience is v^ery impressively
brought ovit in the following verses, which, though they have
little claim to poetic merit, will find an echo in every Chris-
tian heart : —
" When to my sight the Lord shines forth,
I'm filled Avith awe and fear ;
Thy justice, with uplifted arm,
O'erwhelms me with despair.
Not former signs of grace can then
Relieve my troubled heart ;
Ah ! past experiences of love
Add torture to my smart !
What shall I do ? My prayers and teai^s
Are sinful in Thy sight ;
Removed, alas ! from Thee as far
As darkness is from light.
'to'
1 John Bunyan, in that wonderful book the Pilgrim's Progress — won-
derful as a creation of genius ; not less wonderful as an accurate view of
Christian doctrine, and a graphic picture of Christian experience — has
embodied the sentiments we have been illustrating in the incident that
befell Faithful after he had passed through the wicket gate, and had
fiiirly commenced his pilgrimage. In consequence of listening too readily
to the suggestions of " Adam the first, who dwells in the town of Deceit,"
he was overtaken by " one who came after him swift as the wind, even
Moses, who knows not to shew mercy to those who transgress his law."
No sooner did he overtake poor Faithful than "it was a word and a blow,"
and down he knocked him, and laid him for dead. " When I had
somewhat recovered, I cried him mercy," says Faithful, " but he said, ' I
know not how to show mercy,' and with that knocked me down again.
He had doubtless made an end of me, but that one came by and bade
him forbear. I did not know Him at first, but as He went by I perceived
the holes in His hands and in His side : then I concluded that He was
our Lord. So I went up the hill."'
256 HOW CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW
Is there no room for mercy left ?
Is grace for ever gone ?
I '11 mind the years of Thy right hand,
And wonders Thou hast done :
When to be one with sons of men
Immanuel did not scorn,
And when from Jesse's humble house
The Holy Child was born.
I '11 mind the greatness of that love
Which glowed within His breast,
When all the wrath of God for sin
His holy soul oppressed :
When God's own well-beloved Son
Went mourning to the grave,
And died beneath the curse, that grace
JMight dying sinners save.
This sign of love my soul relieves ;
'Tis ease from all my pain ;
I will not dread to see the Lord,
For Christ the Lamb was slain ! "
In tlms obtaming confidence before God, the Christian
shews that he is " of the truth ;" for it is only in the behef of
the truth tliat such confidence can be obtained, and only in
the degree of the true faith of the true Gospel can this confi-
dence exist.
But the Apostle's account of the method in which they
who are " of the truth" come to know that they are of it, is
not yet concluded. It appears in the way in Avhich they
are enabled to " assure their hearts before God," " when
their hearts condemn them." It appears, too, in the manner in
which they obtain " confidence towards God," " when their
heart does not condemn them." The next step in the process
is — Having obtained " confidence towards God," they who
are " of the truth," " go boldly to the throne of grace, that
they may obtain mercy, and find grace" suitable to their
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 2,57
need ; " careful for nothing," because trusting God for every-
thing, they make their requests known to Him " by prayer
and suj)phcation, with thanksgiving."
It deserves to be noticed that prayer is not enjoined here,
though it is in many other places of Scripture. It is not even
said directly, that they who have obtained confidence towards
God engage in prayer. That is supposed, as something which,
in the circumstances of the case, will — must take place of
course. If a man does not pray, that is a plain proof he is
" not of the truth." If a man does not pray in faith, that, too,
is a proof that he is " not of the truth." But if a man,
through the truth believed, has " obtained confidence to-
wards God," how can he help praying? — praying, as it
were, without ceasing ? " The chasm is now closed which
seemed to separate him from The Being who is over all worlds,
infinite in greatness and holiness. He has received the
spirit of adoption, and turning to Him, with filial confi-
dence, he can say, ' Father !' " Though his conscience does
not pronounce him in condemnation, but, on the contrary, ac-
cepted in the Beloved, it tells him that he has sinned, and that
" sin dwells in him," and that, " in him, that is in his fiesh,
dwells no good thing." He knows that God can give him
what he wants ; that He alone can give it him. What he
wants and desires, above all things, is more thorough fellow-
ship with God in holiness and happiness. He knows that
" this is the will of God, even his sanctification." He is con-
fident that God can make him perfectly holy and happy,
and that He is more disposed to give this sum of true
blessing than he is desirous to obtain it. How, then, can he
but pray ? And on thus praying, he knows that he is " of
the truth," for, were he not "of the truth" he could not thus
pray ; and being " of the truth," he cannot but thus pray ;
and thus the Spirit of adoption witnesses to the man's spirit
that he is a son of God, " born of the truth."
But what the apostle directly refers to here, as evidence that
the Christians are " of the truth," is the fact that their prayers
are answered. " And whatsoever we ask we receive of Plim,
R
258 now cHRiSTi.\NS may know
because," or rather for, " we keep His commandments, and do
the things that are pleasing in Ilis sight."
The words " whatsoever we ask," must be Kmited by the
context. Even true Christians may " ask amiss," and in that
case it is a mercy to them that they " ask and receive not."
But whatsoever they ask in the exercise of that confidence
which springs out of the faith of the truth, which dehvers
fi'om a condemning conscience — whatever they ask in the
fiiith in God's promise, nothing doubting, they assvu'edly will
receive. " He who prays in the name of Christ is moved and
guided by the Spirit of Christ in prayer. He can ask for
nothing but what is in accordance with the will of God ;
can, with assurance, ask nothing but what the Spirit makes
known to him as corresponding to the Father's mil." ^ God
does not say to any of Plis children, " the spiritual house of
Israel," " Seek ye My face in vain." When they open their
mouths. He fills them. "This is the confidence that they
have in Him" — and Pie never disappoints their confidence —
" that if they ask anything according to His will, He heareth
them." ^'N^iatsoever, says our Lord, " ye shall ask in My
name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the
Son. If ye ask anything in My name, I icill do it. ^T^iat-
soever ye ask the Father in My name, He will do it. Ask
and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall
be opened to you ; for every one that asketh receiveth, and
he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened. If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more shall your Father who is in
heaven give good things to them that ask Him."
But the Christian has not only the promise on which he is
" caused to hope," he has also the fulfilment of it. He laiows
his prayers are answered, " for he keeps God's commandments,
and does those things which are pleasing to Him." These
Avords are often misunderstood. They are considered as as-
serting that the Christian's obedience is the cause why his
1 V,
Xeander.
I
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 259
prayers are heard, as if there could be such obedience till the
heart be assured — till the man ha^"e confidence towards God —
till, in the exercise of this confidence, he have asked as the
most desired and valuable of God's gifts, that he would give
him true happiness in true holiness. The words describe the
evidence that the Christian's prayers according to God's will
have been heard — -just as our Lord speaks of the great love of
the woman who was a sinner, not as the cause, but as the
evidence of her forgiveness : " Her sins, Avhich are many, are
forgiven, for she loved much." It was a proof that her sins
were forgiven, and that she felt they were many, that she
loved much. And just so, here, the proof that our prayers for
holiness are answered, is that " we keep His commandments,
and do the things which are pleasing in His sight."
No man will ever yield a cheerful, unreserved obedience
to the Divine law, unless under Divine influence graciously be-
stowed. The believing prayer of the Christian is — 'Make
me to understand the way of Thy precepts. Teach me, O
Lord, the way of Thy statutes. Give me understanding, and
I will keep Thy law. Make me to go in the way of Thy
commandments.' Li answer to that prayer, God enlarges his
heart, and the result is he keeps God's law continually, habi-
tually— he delights himself in the commandments which he
loves ; he entreats God's favour with his whole heart, and
the answer of his prayer is found — " I made haste, and de-
layed not to keep Thy commandments." The Christian, in
the full assurance of faith, asks of God His Holy Spirit, and
in the confidence of being heard, and under the influence of the
truth — which has at once stilled the terrors and jealousies of
a guilty conscience, and triumphed over the enmity and
w^orldliness, and love of sin in his depraved heart — he " serves
God without fear, in righteousness and holiness," — " walks at
liberty, keeping God's commaiidments ;" feels that God
" grants him Plis law graciously," and teaches him to find his
pleasure in his duty ; and in all this he cannot but see the
answer of his prayer. This is what I prayed for, and I have
got it ; and none but God could have given it to me. He
2(^0 now CHRISTIANS MAY KNOW
j)roinisecl this, and enabled nic to depend on the ])romise —
and now He has fulfilled it: "Faithful is He who hatli
jn-omised, who also has done it." My pi'ayer was, "that
He would make me perfect in every good work to do His
will, workinoj in me that which is well-pleasing in His
sight," and I, by His grace, " keep His commandments, and
do the things that are pleasing in His sight." Knowing
and believing that He hears us, we cannot but recognise, in
our cheerful, happy, though still very imperfect obedience,
the operation of His Spu'it and the answer of our prayers,
and cannot doubt that, in this, " we have the petitions that
we desired of Him."
And this crowais the proof that we are " of the truth ;" for
nothing but the truth believed coidd produce such obedience,
and such obedience is the natiu'al and necessary result of the
truth really understood and believed : " Hereby do we know
that we are of the truth."
It is thus that the Christian's life of fellowship with God in
holy happiness begins, is prosecuted, and tdtimately reaches
perfection ; and thus, when interrupted, is it re-established.
" The truth as it is in Jesus," understood and believed,
delivers fi'om the demoralizing and misery-producing influ-
ence of a condemning conscience, produces a new grateful
reception of a free and full forgiveness, restores confidence
before God, leads to believing prayer for all heavenly and
spiritual blessings, and yields, by the blessing of the Holy
Spirit, a holy happy life of childlike obedience. The truth,
and the truth alone, known and believed, does all this as its
natm*al result — the truth not lying dead in the letter, but made
spirit and life by the good Spirit leading us so to attend
to its meaning and evidence, that intelligent faith is the con-
sequence. This is the only certain way to God, to peace,
to hohness, to heaven : " This is the way, walk ye in it."
How accurately and beautifully is the process described by
our Clu'istian poet, who himself had passed through it : —
" His conscience, like a glassy lake before,
J^asli'd into foaming waves, begins to roar ;
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 2()1 j
The law, grown clamorous, though silent long, \
Arraigns him — chai'ges him with ev'ry wrong — ;
Asserts the rights of his offended Lord ; ;
And death or restitution is the word. !
The last impossible, he fears the first, ;
And, having well deserved, expects the worst.
Then welcome refuge, and a peaceful home : i
Oh for a shelter from the wrath to come ! j
Crush me, ye rocks ; ye falling mountains hide, i
Or bury me in ocean's angry tide. !
The scrutiny of those all-seeing eyes • i
I dare not — And you need not, God replies ; '
The remedy you want I freely give : :
The Book shall teach you — read, believe, and live! j
'Tis done — the raging storm is heard no more; i
Mercy receives him on her peaceful shore ; . ,
And Justice, guardian of the dread command, i
Drops the red vengeance from his willing hand. i
A soul redeem'd demands a life of praise ;
Hence the complexion of his future days, '
Hence a demeanour holy and unspeck'd, i
And the world's hatred as its sure effect." ^ i
Brethren, this is the way in which we must be saved. This ]
is the way in which our calHng and election must be made siii'e.
" Oh how unlike the complex works of man,
Heaven's easy, artless, unencumber'd plan ! j
No meretricious graces to beguile, i
No clust'ring ornaments to clog the pile ; :
From ostentation as from weakness free, j
It stands like the cerulean arch we see, j
Majestic in its own simplicity.
Inscribed above the portal, from afar, j
Conspicuous as the brightness of a star, ■ !
Legible only by the light they give, ^ i
Stand the soul-quick 'ning words — Believe, and live ! I
Too many, shock'd at what should charm them most, ]
Despise the plain direction, and are lost. !
Heav'n on such terms ! (they cry, with proud disdain) j
Incredible, impossible, and vain ! ,
Rebel, because it is easy to obey ; ;
And scorn, for its own sake, the gracious way. ;
^ Cowper. !
2G2 HOW CIIRISTIiVNS MAY KNOW
These are the sober, in whose cooler brains
Some thought of immortality remains ;
The rest, too busy, or too gay, to wait
On the sad theme, their everlasting state,
Sport for a day, and perish in a night ;
The foam upon the waters not so light." ' '
Alas, alas, and is it indeed so 1 Must they — will they thus
perish? Surely " madness is in the hearts of men." Oh
that they were wise, that they miderstood this !
To the sinner we proclaim, " Turn, tui'n, why wilt thou die."
Beware of seekino; lioht from the a'loom of a condemned con-
science, in the sparks of any fire thou canst kindle. The end
of that " is the hlackness of darlaiess for ever and ever."
" This shall ye have of My hand," saith the Lord, " ye shall
lie down in sorrow." Look to Iliii, and be ye lightened.
" Look to Me, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth."
And we call on the Christian, tortured by a condemning
heart, and seeking in vain relief in himself, to listen to the Holy,
Holy, Holy One, proclaiming, " I, even I, am He who blotteth
out your transgressions/o?" mi/ otvn sake, and I wiU not remem-
ber your sin. I vdW heal your backsliding, I will love you fr^eely."
The blood of Jesus Christ His Son, the propitiation for sin, cleans-
eth from all sin. If we confess our sins over the head of that
blessed \dctim, " God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In believing this,
we enter into peace — we assiu'e our hearts before God — we
obtain confidence towards Him — we ask of Him what is agree-
able to His will. He heareth us, and, in answer to om' prayers,
"He makes us perfect in eveiy good work to do His will,
working in us what is well pleasing in His sight." And thus,
in the cheerinf]^ sunshine of the Divine favour manifested in
the word of the truth of the Gospel, hoping continually, we
will go in the strength of the Lord ; strong for work and war-
fare, singing in the good ways of the Lord, making mention
of His righteousness, even of His only ; walking without
^ Cowper.
THAT THEY ARE OF THE TRUTH. 2G3
wearying, running without fainting, going from strength to
strength, till we appear in Zion before God. In following
the course indicated by the apostle, we shall know that we are
of the truth ; our calling and our election will be made sure ;
we shall be kept fi'om falling, and at last an entrance shall be
ministered to us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of
oiu' Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
DISCOURSE II.
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION, AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT,
2 Tim. i. 12. — " I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that
He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that
day."
There are few mental liabits, tlie possession of which is of
greater importance to the happiness of the individual, and the
display of which is surer to draw forth the admiration of his
fellow-men, than fortitude. It has been justly said the coward
dies a thousand times — the brave man only once. Pity, sel-
dom without some mixtiu'e of contempt, is the sentiment with
which the character and conduct of the timid are generally
regarded ; and it is the man who remains calm, self-possessed,
and intrepid amid sufferings, perplexities, and hazards, who,
by the universal suffrage of mankind, is honoured with the
appellation gi'eat.
Few men have possessed this quality in a higher degree
than the apostle Paul, or have been placed in circumstances
more favourable for its manifestation. His words were true
to the letter : " We stand in jeopardy every hour." Hmiger
and thirst, cold and nakedness, bonds and imprisonment, the
faithlessness of professed friends and the inveterate malignity
of powerful and active enemies — in one word, clanger and death
in their most repulsive and alarming forms — these were the
tests to which his fortitude was habitually subjected during
the whole of his apostolic life. And it stood the trial — severe,
varied, and protracted as it was. None of these things moved
206 AssuR.ys'CE of salvation,
him. They could in no degree change his resolution, or
induce him to alter his course. His determination to sain
his object at all hazards remained unshaken — unshakeable.
He was now, when he wrote this epistle, " such an one as
Paul the aged" — very near the close of that life which had
been to him in reality — what to most of us is but a rhetori-
cal emblem — " a great fight of affliction" — a mortal com-
bat. He was now probably in one of the dungeons of the
Mamertine prison, laden with chains, expecting death — death
by the hand of the public executioner. It might be postponed
for months, it might take place to-morrow. In these circum-
stances, with what deep solemnity, with what undaunted
heroism, does he realize to himself the situation in which he
was placed ! " I am now ready to be offered, and the time
of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day : and
not to me only, but imto all them also that love His ap-
pearing."
Such a manifestation of fortitude, apart altogether fi'om
the merits of the cause in which it is displayed, excites
in every unsophisticated heart a sentiment of admiration.
This is an instinctive feeling iiTespective of the judgment of
the reason, or even the action of the will. From the con-
stitution of our nature, however, it is soon followed by an
inquiiy into what has called forth this fortitude which we
cannot but admire ; and if it be found that the man is
brave in a cause which does not deserve support, and for
reasons which will not bear examination, the feeling of
admiration, if not extinguished, is greatly modified, by that
of regi'et that such energy should not have been better
directed, and that so strong a will had not been guided by a
sovmder mind. But if, on the other hand, it appear that the
cause is one for which no sacrifice, however expensive, can be
considered as too great, and that the strength of resolution,
the tenacity of pm'pose, the utter disregard of pain or danger,
\>^
AXD HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 2G7
are more than ■warranted by the importance of tlie interests
involved, the instinctive feeling rises into a higher and more
abiding emotion : admiration blends with respect and esteem,
and takes the form of veneration. Such is the effect produced
on our minds when we trace the apostle's fortitude to its
source. And when we find that he was engaged in a cause
embracing all the great interests in the universe ; that his
energetic action, his constant endm'ance, had their springs in
firm convictions — high expectations ; and that these in their
turn rested on well-established truth, clearly perceived and
firmly believed ; his temper and conduct appear as reason-
able as they are noble. They become, indeed, less objects
of wonder — but he becomes even more the object of admira-
tion.
The true account of the apostle's fortitude is given in the
words which I have chosen as the subject of discoui'se : — " I
know whom I have beheved, and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I have committed to Ilim against that day."
He does not say who He was whom he believed, nor what it
was he had committed to Him. It has been happily said,
" He names neither the trustee nor the trust — the depositary
nor the deposit." Timothy readily understood the reference,
and so do we. " He whom I have believed," and " that which
I have committed to Him," are more familiar than household-
words ; they are heart-words with all who have been taught
of God, and made " wise unto salvation." ^
The text is in no ordinary degree interesting as a graphic
picture of the apostle's state of mind in the midst of suffering,
in the prospect of death — a state of calm, firm, joyful expecta-
tion of future blessedness ; but it is still more interesting
when viewed as containing what may be called the Natural
History of that state of mind — an account of the manner in
which it had been j^roduced — of the steps of the process by
which he had arrived at so enviable a result. He had believed
Christ — that was the first step : he had committed to Him
1 Dr M'Crie.
208 ASSUR.\NCE OF SALVATION',
a precious deposit against the great day of final settlement —
that was the second : he entertained the most confident ex-
pectation that the deposit was safe, and that He was able to
keep it — that was the third : and finally, his confident expec-
tation rested on a siu'e foundation — He knew whom he had
believed.
We have all a very deep personal concern in this matter.
It is of primary importance to our happiness that we should
have the same confident, joyful, well-grounded expectation
which Paul had ; and it will appear clearly, on our consider-
ing the subject, that the way in which he obtained it is as
open to us as it was to him ; that it can be obtained in no
other way ; and that it is certain to be obtained by all
who duly seek it. He who really believes Christ will, must,
cannot but commit to Him that which he counts most valu-
able ; having done so, he will obtain the joyful persuasion and
hope, that what he has committed to Christ is perfectly safe ;
and in what he knows of Christ he will have what is sufficient
to convince him that this persuasion has a firm fomidation,
and that this hope shall never make him ashamed.
I. Let us begin, then, at the beginning. The fomidation
of Paul's strong, well-grounded confidence of final and
complete salvation was laid in his believing Christ ; and
any expectation we may cherish in reference to final and
complete salvation, is delusory, if it do not rest on the
same ground — spring from the same root. No man, unless he
believe Christ, can have a well-grounded expectation of final
happiness.
It is obviously, then, a very important question, What is it
to " believe Christ?" The apostle terms Christ " Him whom
I have believed" — that is, ' I have believed Him, I do believe
Him.' To believe is to credit, to count true. To believe a
statement is to count it true. To believe a person is to count
true what that person says, because he says it. There are two
expressions used in Scripture in reference to saving faith —
'■ to believe in Christ,' and ' to believe Christ.' The latter
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 2 09
is used here. These expressions are of kindred significa-
tion— but the last is more definite than the first. ' To
believe in Christ' may signify to believe the truth about
Christ — as to believe in the resiuTection is to believe the truth
about the resurrection ; or it may signify to believe the truth
Christ speaks — as to believe in Moses is to believe the truth
spoken by Moses. ' To believe Christ' can properly signify
nothing but to believe what Christ says, because Christ says
it. He who does this will, as a matter of course, trust in
Christ and hope in Christ — just as he will, as a matter of
course, love Christ and obey Christ ; but trust and hope are
not faith any more than love and obedience. Words gener-
ally, as a matter of course, are to be considered as used in
their proper signification, and should never, without good
reason, be interpreted in any other.
There was a time Avhen the AjDOstle Paul did not believe
Jesus Christ. He counted Him an impostor, and reckoned
His doctrine falsehood. Jesus Christ's having said any
thing was enough to prejudice him against it. It seemed
to him all the less likely to be true that Jesus Christ
had said it. But this was before Paul really knew Jesu^s
Christ. It is possible that he might have seen Him during
some of his visits to Jerusalem — but he never knew Him till
in the way to Damascus he " saw that Just One, and heard the
voice of His mouth" speaking fi:oni the midst of the excellent
glory — the symbol of the Divine presence, and saying to him,
" I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." He believed, he could
not but believe, that saying — he counted it true because spoken
by Him ; and henceforward Paul counted true e^^ery thina;
that Christ said, and asked no better reason than that Christ
had said it.
Christ not unfrequently spoke to Paul after his conversion,
in the course of his apostolical labours — directing and com-
forting him ; and whenever He spoke, Paul believed Him.
But the belief here spoken of probably does not refer so much,
if at all, to these sayings of our Lord — certainly it is not to be
confined to them — as to the sayings of our Lord recorded by
270 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION,
those who heard them — sayings in wliich we have just as deep
an interest as he had, and which lay the foundation for
him who beheves them, to commit all that he thinks most
valuable to Christ's care.
If we wish to know what Paul believed when he believed
Christ, we must know what Christ said, and it may serve a
good purpose to notice some of these sayings ; for it is only by
attending to their import that we can see the connection
between believing and trusting Him so as to commit to Him
our all. We must know the matter of faith in order to our
understanding the influence of faith.
Christ had said, " Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and
ye shall find rest to your souls." " The Son of man is come
to save that which was lost." " The Son of man came not to
be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a
ransom for many." " The Son of man has power on earth to
forgive sins." " All power is given to Me in heaven and in
earth." In answer to the high priest adjuring Him to say
whether He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, He
replied, under the sanction of an oath, " I am. And ye shall
see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and
coming in the clouds of heaven." He had said, " He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth
not shall be damned." " Fear not, little flock, it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." " As
Moses lifted up the serj:)ent in the wilderness, so must the
Son of man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the
world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the w^orld through Him might be saved. He
that believeth in Him is not condemned : but he that believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of God." He liad said,
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 271
" Wliatsoever things the Father doeth, these also doeth the
Son Kkewise." " As the Father raiseth up the dead and
quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He wilL
The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son." " The
Father Himself hath sent Me, and borne witness of Me." " I
am the bread of life. He that cometh to Me shall never
hunger, he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." " All
that the Father hath given Me shall come to Me, and him
that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." " I came down
from heaven to do the will of Him that sent Me ; and this is
the Father's will, that of all that He hath given Me I should
lose nothing ; that every one that seeth the Son and believeth
on Him should have everlasting life ; and that I should raise
him up at the last day." " The bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." " If any man
thirst, let him come to Me and drink : He that believeth on
Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water." He had said, " Before Abraham was,
I AM." " I am the good Shepherd, and I give My life for
the sheep ; and My Father loveth Me because I lay down My
life that I may take it again." " I give unto My sheep eter-
nal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck
them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them Me, is
greater than all, and none can pluck them out of My Father's
hand." " I am the resurrection and the life : he that believeth
in Me, though he w^ere dead, yet shall he live ; and he that
liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." He had said to
His disciples, " In My Father's house are many mansions : if
it were not so, I w'ould have told you. I go to prepare a place
for you : and if I go away, I will come again and take you
to myself, that wdiere I am there ye may be also." " If ye love
Me, keep My commandments." " Without Me," apart from
Me, " ye can do nothing." " Because I live, ye shall live
also." Finally, He had said, " If any man ivill be My disciple,
let him deny" — renounce, " himself, and take up his cross and
follow Me.''
These are some of Christ's sayings, to which the apostle's
272 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION,
exhortation to tlie Epliesian churcli may be considered as
referring, when he says, that he had showed them " how
they onght to remember the words of the Lord Jesus."
With these and many more words of our Lord Jesus, the
apostle was, doubtless, well acquainted — they were ever in his
mind ; and in every one of them he believed Christ. He
counted every one of them " a faithful saying, and worthy of
all acceptation," just because it was the word of Christ. The
sum and substance of these sayings was this : ' I am the
divinely appointed, di\anely qualified, divinely accredited,
divine Saviom* of men — their only, their all-sufficient Sa-
viour ; and I claim from those whom I come to save, undoubt-
ing faith, entire reliance, implicit obedience, unqualified sub-
mission.'
To count those statements true, because they are the
sayings of Christ, is the faith of the Gospel. Thus Paul
believed, thus all Christians believe, thus should all men be-
lieve Clu'ist.
This faith is, from the nature of the case, appropriating,
for it is impossible really to believe these truths without be-
lievino; them in reference to ourselves. The man does not
believe Christ Avho believes a gospel in which he himself has
no interest, for Jesus Christ never gave such a gospel : and
this faith of Christ naturally, and indeed necessarily, leads to
devotement to — reliance on Him.
II. This brings me to the second step in the process towards
that state of firm, undoubting persuasion of final happiness to
which the apostle had attained, and which we all must feel to
be so desfrable. Having believed Christ, he " committed to
Him" a precious deposit against, or till, the great day of
account. Some excellent scholars and di\'ines identifv the
belief in the first clause, with the committal in the second
— but had this been the apostle's meaning, it seems likely
that cognate words, at any rate, would have been used in
both cases. The committal seems the result — the natural,
the certain, the immediate result of the belicvino-. The belief.
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 27?>
the committal, and tlie persucision are all very closely con-
nected.
What that deposit was it is not difficult to discover. What,
Indeed, could it be but himself — " soul, body, and spirit 1"
He gave himself to Christ, that He might transform him by
His Spirit, employ him in His service, and bless him with His
salvation. He committed body and soul to His disposal, in
life and in death, and for ever, to be animated by His Spirit,
regulated by His laws, protected by His providence, and made
happy in the enjoyment of the salvation that is in Him with
eternal glory.
This precious deposit was committed to Christ in the pros-
pect of " that day." The day here so emphatically designated
is plainly " the day in which God will judge the world in
rio-hteousness" — " the dav of the revelation of His rio;hteous
judgment" — in which He will " render to every man according
to his works." Looking forward to that day, the apostle was
aware that, as a sinner, what was most precious to him — him-
self— must be lost if left to the care of himself or any created
being, and therefore, encouraged by what Christ had said and
he had believed, he committed himself to Him as a deposit —
to be kept safe till that day — and in that day.
This committino; of himself to Christ, that He mioht use
liim in His service and bless him with His salvation, is, like the
faith in which it originates, not to be considered as a passing
act, but as an abiding habit of mind. The apostle every day
was yielding himself to Christ as His ser\ant, and his members
and faculties to Him as instruments of righteousness in His
service ; and he was every day, too, expecting and seeking his
happiness in Christ — -from Christ.
Now, this committing of himself, this depositing with Christ
his all — naturally, necessarily, grew out of his believing Christ.
Jesus Christ had said plainly that He had given Himself a
ransom for him ; and believing this, he could not but see that
it was most reasonable and right that he should give himself
to Christ. He savv' he was Christ's property, for He had re-
deemed him with His IjJood, and he durst not witlihold what
s
274 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION,
it was plain He liiglily valued, else He would not have given
such a price for it. Believing, hecause Christ had said it,
that He " died, and rose, and revived, that He might he the
Lord both of the dead and living," he could not but act
accordinoly and feel that he should not live to himself — that
he should not die to himself; but that, living or dying, he
shoidd think, and feel, and act, as if he Avere, indeed, the
Lord's. Believing that he had been bought with a price, he
was persuaded that he was not — that he could not be — his
own, but His who had bought him, and that he ought to
" glorify Him in his body and in his spirit, which were His."
He believed what Chiist had said to him, " If any man will be
My disciple, let him deny" — that is, let him renoimce — " him-
self." He loould be, he was determined to be, Christ's disciple.
God had wrought in him thus to "v\all — led him, drawn him,
and therefore he renounced himself — gave himself up to Christ,
to be guided, governed, saved by Him — putting entirely at His
disposal, himself- — all he was, all he possessed — in all circum-
stances, throughout all duration. Christ had said to him,
"Thou art a chosen vessel unto Me" — "Thou art J/wie;"
and from the bottom of his heart Paul was constantly replying,
" Lord, I am Thine — Thou art my owner, my Lord, whose I
am, and whom I sen^e."
And this is substantially true of eveiy one Avho, like Paul,
believes Christ — counts what Christ says true, because Christ
says it. His self-renunciation, his committing of himself as a
deposit to Christ, will just be according to' the measure of his
faith. Jesus Christ, the Divine Saviour, says, in the believed
word, to the believing sinner, " I have redeemed thee — thou
art Mine :" and how can he help rephdng, " Into Thine hand
I commit my spirit ; Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of
truth." The truth, in believing which Paul committed him-
self to Christ, was not merely, nor mainly, the peculiar revela-
tion made to him ; it was the " the word of the truth of the
Gospel," addressed to us as Avell as to him. What was pecu-
liar in his case was chiefly that he had evidence additional to,
and somewhat diflPerent from, what we liave : hut we have
AM) HOW TO OIJTAIN IT. 'I i ,)
abundance of evidence ; and it is not the kind and measure of
evidence, but the nature of the truth believed and the reahty of
the behef, that directly lead sinners to the committing of all to
the Saviour. " It was as a sinner — the chief of sinners — that
Paul committed himself to Christ 'in believing;' and it was
as a believer, and on a'l'ounds common to all believers in every
age, that he expresses his persuasion ' that He will keep thnt
which he had committed to Him.' " ^ Having thus committed
himself to Christ, that he might serve Him and be saved by
Him, in consequence of having believed Christ — the apostle
declares that he is " persuaded that Christ is able to keep that
which he has committed to Him till that day."
HI. This is the third topic which comes under our consi-
deration. And here I will endeavour to explain what was
the apostle's persuasion, and then show that, as the commit-
ting of himself to Christ naturally resulted from his belief of
Christ — so this persuasion as naturally rises out of these com-
bined— his believing Christ, and his committing himself to
Christ.
His persuasion was, that Christ was " able to keep that
A'vdilch he had committed to Him against that day." I am con-
vinced we should very luiduly narrow our Ideas of what was
the object of the apostle's persuasion were we to confine the
meaning of these words " able to keep" to the idea of
physical ability or mere power. The phrase is often used In
Scripture of such qualifications as will certainly secure the
event referred to. The expression, " God Is able to make
him stand," is equivalent to God will, shall make him stand.
" God is able to make all grace abound towards you," is equi-
valent to God 'will — shall make all grace abound towards you.'
" Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that
we can think," is equivalent to HIra who will do exceeding-
abundantly above all we can think. " Him that is able to keep
you from falling," is equivalent to Him who Avill keep you
' Dr M'Crie.
270 ASSUR^VNCE OF SALVATION,
fi'om falling. In like manner here the apostle does not seem
to mean merely that Christ had power, if he were disposed to
exert it, to keep His deposit, but that He had every qualifi-
cation for keeping it — ever}^thing necessary to His keeping It
safely. It is equivalent to " I am persuaded my deposit is
safe, for He to whom it is committed is such a person as
cannot but take good care of it."
Now what was it that the apostle expected in the Jceeping of
his deposit by Christ against that day ? He was persuaded
that Christ would take good care of him, soul and body, in
life, in death, in the gi'ave, and in the state of separate souls.
He was persuaded that He would " never leave him — never
forsake him ;" that He woidd perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle him ;" that He woidd guide him in the path of duty ;
that He would fit him for the discharge of it ; that his Lord's
" grace would be sufficient for him, and his strength be per-
fected in his weakness ;" that he should be protected from or
sustained under, and delivered from all afflictions ; that " all
grace should be made to abound" to him ; that he should be
enabled to glorify his Lord, whether in life or in death ; that
he shovild be " kept from fidling" — kept faithful to the death ;
that nothing should ever " separate him from the love of God
in Christ Jesus ; and that he should be made more than a
conqueror through Him that loved him. He expected that
death, whenever, and in whatever form it came, should be a
great gain ; that " the earthly house of this tabernacle," when
taken do^\^^, should in due time be replaced by " a building
of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ;"
that when " absent from the body" he should be " pi'esent
with the Lord" — with Him where He is, beholding, and, so
far as the thing is possible, sharing His gloiy ; and that, at the
appoi]ited season, " the Saviour fi'om heaven, the Lord Jesus,
should change his vile body into the likeness of His own glori-
fied body, according to the working whereby He is able to
subdue all things to Himself. Finally, he expected that in
the great day of jiidgment, the entire deposit committed to
the Saviour should 1)C produced — immeasurably impro\ed
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT, 277
under His care, and be presented to the Father, tlie Great
Owner, " without spot and blameless, with exceeding joy,"
meeting His entire approbation. Ah, how different would
have been the result had he retained the deposit in his own
hand, or given it in charge to any but the Saviour ! This
was the apostle's expectation.
When it is said he expected that his deposit was to be kept
" against" or till " that day," we are not to conclude that it
should then be resumed or pass into other hands. Any
change which would make the apostle less " Christ's" than he
had been ever since his conversion, would have been regarded
by him as anything rather than an object of hope. The de-
posits the Savioui' has taken so good care of in life and death
and in the separate state, will be, " in that day," " made up"
by Him as His jewels, into a diadem of immortal beauty,
which shall be His " crown of glory and rejoicing" throughout
all eternity.
The apostle was persuaded that his deposit would be thus
kept ; for he was persuaded that He to whom he had com-
mitted it Avas possessed of all the qualifications which could
secure its being thus kept— all the power, wisdom, kindness,
and faithfulness necessary for this purpose.
As the committing of the deposit to Christ naturally results
from believing Christ, so the persuasion that the deposit is
safe as naturally results from the faith of Christ and the com-
mitting the deposit to Him united. It is not the recollection
that I once believed Christ — that I once committed myself to
Him — pleasant though such recollections are, and useful as
they may be, — it is not these that give the persuasion that the
deposit is absolutely safe. It is the believing and the com-
mitting as present exercises of the mind that are fitted to
produce this result. If I believe what Christ says in refer-
ence to those who commit themselves to Him, and if I at the
same time do commit myself to Him, the persuasion naturally
— necessarily, I'ises in the mind, that my deposit is safe. 1
am conscious I am committing myself to Him ; I believe what
He says, because He says it. And what does He saj- ? — " I
278 ASSUKANCE OF SALVA TION,
give unto My sheep eternal life ; and tliey shall never perish,
neither shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father,
■who gave them Me, is gi*eater than all ; and none is able to
})luck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are
one." How can he who thus believes, and thus commits, but
be persuaded that the deposit is safe % Wherever there is this
faith and this committing, there Avill be a proportiojiate
measui-e of this persuasion ; and the more simple is tlu,- faith,
the more unreserved and habitual the committing, the firmer
will be the persuasion ; and to seek for such a persuasion
while not believing Christ, or not committing ourselves to
Him, is to seek something that cannot be found — and if it
could, would do us harm instead of good.
It is not, however, the recollection of the fact that I have
believed Christ, and that I have committed myself to Him ; it
is not even the present consciousness that I believe Christ and
am committing myself to Him, that is, properly speaking, the
foundation of my persuasion that my deposit is safe. With-
out these I could not have this persuasion — but the true
grounds of the persuasion lie deeper than these : they are not
in me at all, they are in " Him whom I believe" — to whom I
h'cWQ committed my all. It is because " I know Him'" that I
have this confidence in Him. So says the apostle, '' I Ivnow
Him whom I have believed," and therefore " am persuaded."
TV. This is the fourth and last topic which our' text calls
on us to consider. You will observe that the apostle does not
say — " I know- that I have believed," or CA-en " I know that I
believe." He could have said both, but neither was to his
present purpose. There are men who are always seeking for
evidence that they have believed, or do believe, in order that
on this they may build the persuasion that all is safe. This is
a hazardous and round about course, and indicates in many
cases that men are thinldn^ more of themselves than of the
Saviour — are in quest of comfort rather than safety, of enjoy-
ment rather than salvation, of sensible satisfaction rather than
spiritual improvement. It is the object of faith, not faith
a:nd now to obtain it. 279
itself, on which such a persuasion can be legitimately based.
" The grounds on which a believer entertains a hope of eternal
salvation, are substantially the same with those on which he
was first induced to rest for pardon and acceptance." ' Nor
does the apostle say, " I know^ what I have believed — what I
do believe," though he could have said this also, — for he was
a very intelligent though an implicit believer ; and his per-
suasion was founded on what he believed. But he here pre-
sents the ground of his persuasion, not in the form of abstract
propositions, but of the living subject of these propositions.
Christ is the ground of his persuasion, that in believing Him,
committincr himself to Him. he is absolutelv safe : " I know
WH03I I have believed." His essential perfections and His
mediatorial qualifications — what He is, wdiat He has shown
Himself to be, assure me that believing Him — committing
myself to Him — I shall not, cannot perish. While He con-
tinues what He is, and wdiat I know He is, I am sure I am
safe ; and He whom I have believed — He to whom I have
committed my deposit, is no stranger to me : "I knoiv Him^
My faith, though implicit, is not blind ; my persuasion, though
strong, is not mnvarranted.
The apostle knew Jesus Christ to be " God over all, blessed
for ever" — " God manifest in the flesh" — the '' Sent and
Sealed of God," to whom God had given the Holy Spirit
not by measure. He knew Him as " the Mediator between God
and man," who had " given Himself a ransom for all" — whose
"blood clean seth from all sin" — and who makes intercession
for those for whom He has made expiation. He thus knew Him
to be possessed of all the qualifications which are necessary
to make Him the safe depositary of man's highest interests.
More particularly, he knew Him to be possessed of infinite
power; in His original nature "the mighty God;" as Medi-
ator, having "power over all flesh" — "all power in heaven
and earth" — " power by which He can subdue all things to
Himself." He knew Him to be possessed of infinite loisdom ;
in His original nature the all-wise God; as Mediator, pos-
1 Dr M'Orie.
'^80 ASSUKANCE OP SALVATION
7
sessed of perfect knowledge and unerring prudence — filled with
" the spirit of good understanding in tlie fear of the Lord."
He knew Him to be infinitely faithful ; in His original nature
" the God who cannot lie," who " keepeth the truth for ever ;"
as the Mediator, " the faithful and true Witness," " in whom,
all the promises of God are yea and amen to the glory (^f God
l)y us." He knew Him to be infinitely kind ; in His original
nature, the God who is " love," whose chosen name is '' the
Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-sufferings
forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin" — " rich in mercy ;"
and who, as Mediator, had so loved men as not to love His
own life to the death in order to obtain their salvation, — who
" loved His chosen people so as to wash them from their sins
in His ow-n blood, and to make them kings and priests to God
and His Father."
He knew all this, for he had " heard of it in the word of
the truth of the Gospel" which, under Divine influence, he
had believed : and he had, moreover, the witness in himself
that Jesus Christ was indeed all this. He had expeiienced
His poicer in conquering his own enmity, and in protecting
him from very pow^erful foes. He had experienced His
wisdom, in the revelations He had made to him, and in His
guiding him by His Spirit amid all the difficulties of his
strangely chequered course. He had experienced His faith-
fulness, in the fulfilment of many a promise, and especially of
that comprehensive one, " ^ly grace is sufficient for thee, for
My strength is made perfect in weakness." He could say
from experience, " all men have not faith," " but the Lord
is faithful." He had experienced His kindness in countless
forms. His grace had been to him " exceeding abundant"
— forgiving all his iniquities, healing all his diseases, re-
deeming his soul from destruction, crowning him with lo\dng-
kindness and tender mercies. Thus knowing Jlim, how
could he but put his trust in Him ? Having believed in
this all-accomplished Saviour, and having committed his all
to Him, how could he but be persuaded that He woidd keep
for him that which he had committed to Him ?
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 281
And in like manner, every man who, like Paul, has be-
lieved— is believing Christ, and has coraniitted — is committing,
his all to His care, shall find that, jnst in the measure of the
personal knowledge he has of Jesus Christ, as He manifests
himself in His word, and in His saving operations on his own
mind and heart — just in the measure of his knowledge of Him
as powerful and wise, faithful and kind — he will rise above all
distressing doubts and fears as to his final salvation, and rest
in the persuasion that " He whom he has believed" is " able
to keep that which he has committed to Him till that day."
It was a measure of the knowledo;e of Christ which led the
apostle to believe Him and commit himself to Him ; it was
this knowledge, ever growing, which kept him believing Him,
and committing himself to Him ; and it was this knowledge
of Him that gave him the persuasion that the deposit was safe.
And in this the apostle was " a pattern to them which should
hereafter believe on Christ to life everlastino;." How does
this fact show " the excellence of the knowledoe of Christ
Jesus our Lord ! " How should it make us anxious that we
may know Him — follow on to know Him — "grow in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." ^
And now for the practical improvement of these important
statements.
Li the way of caution and reproof, they are fitted to be
^ " This assurance differs essentially and totally from all blind impulses,
all enthvisiastic imaginations, all sudden impressions made on the mind,
but of which the person can give no intelligent or satisfactory account.
It is not the result of dreams or visions. It is not produced by imme-
diate suggestions of the Spirit. It is not grafted on texts of Scripture,
ill understood and broken off from their connection, which have been
furcibly injected into the mind, or selected by a kind of spiritual lottery."
"This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you. Christian; but is
to be suspected of delusion, nourishing pride and self-conceit, and creating
a fanciful and presumptuous confidence, accompanied with a feverish
tumult in the affections, which bursts out into extravagance of sentiment
and irregvilarity of conduct, and then gradually subsides to the point of
freezing indifference and incredulity." . . . " Nothing short of a Divine
testimony and assurance could have inclined the awakened sinner to en-
282 ASSURANCE OF 8A1AAT10X,
profitable for " correction and instruction in righteousness,"
to many professors of Christianity and even not a few true
Christians. Tlie persons referred to are exceedingly desirous
of obtaining absolute assurance of the safety of their state for
eternity ; and we cannot certainly altogether blame them for
this ; but we do blame them for the plan which they adopt
for gaining their object. If they could be but sure that they
had at any time believed Christ — if they could be sure that
at any time they had committed themselves to Christ — they
think they Avould be quite happy, because quite safe. There
are three great objections to this course : first, it is a very
difficult thing to obtain certain trustworth}' recollections of
past states of mind ; — secondly, if we had them. Scripture
teaches us to expect peace, not in the thought that we have
believed, but in believing ; — and thirdly, to make our recol-
lected, or even our consciously present state of mind the
ground of our confidence, is in some measure to put ourselves
in the room of the Saviour, or at least to make a ground of
confidence partly out of His work, and partly out of our faith
and its effects.
The passage before us teaches us "a more excellent way."
Christ known as the powerful, wise, faithful, gracious Saviour,
is the ground of our hope ; and it is in presently believing
Him, presently committing ourselves to Him, that we are to
expect that He will give us the persuasion that He whom we
have believed, and to whom we have entrusted our all, will
assuredly keep that which we have committed to Him till
that day. Blessed Saviour, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in
Thee." See, Christians, that you believe Nhn, commit your-
trust Christ with his eternal welfiire ; and nothing less will sustain the
confidence of a believer, who has obtained a clearer and ever-increasing
insight into the preciousness of the redemption of his soul, or preserve
him from distracting doubts and fears amidst the temptations and in-
firmities by which he feels himself surrounded and oppressed." . . .
" The clearer that the believer's views are of the object of his faith, the
firmer, of course, will be his assurance." — Dr M'Crie's Sermons, xv. pp.
269, 270, '272, 274.
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 283
selves to Hbn, and seek more and more to know Him. That
is the safe path of holiness and peace.
How mncli to be pitied, as well as blamed, are those Chris-
tians who, by seeking peace and confidence in another way,
at once dishonour the Saviour and damage their own S})iritual
interests, exposing themselves alternately to the hazards of a
false confidence and the anxieties of an ill-founded despondency!
HoM^much more to be pitied and blamed are those who,
under the Gospel revelation, live and die without having, in
many cases without seeking, any solid ground of hope for
eternity ! Oh what is to become of those who do not know
Christ — who do not believe Him — who never have committed
to Him their all : who are without hope in reference to eter-
nity, or if they have a hope, have one that, in the hour of trial,
will be found — instead of a living hope — like " the giving up
of the ghost," and will end in a disappointment which will make
them ashamed world without end ! Self-destroyers, have
mercy on yourselves. Seek the knowledge of Christ, the
Saviour — the Saviour of the world — ready to save you coming
*to Him ; believe Him, commit your all to Him, and then
there will rise up in your mind, as " a well of living water
springing up unto eternal life," a persuasion founded on Christ
— on Christ alone — on His excellencies and His work, His
grace and His promise, that all is well, all is well for ever — a
persuasion ever growing with your growing faith, and your
more entire committing of your all to Him. This is the only
way of getting to heaven at last, and of obtaining in the mean-
time the well-grounded hope of getting there.
How full of pleasing reflection is the subject which we have
been considering in reference to the true disciples of Christ —
those who have parted with all that they may secm'e all — both
those of them who wake and those of them who have " fallen
on sleep," — both those of them who are alive and those of
them who are dead !
Those of them who are in this world are in the midst of
dangers of various kinds, but they are safe. They have com-
mitted themselves to the care of the Saviour, and He will
284
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION,
kee^j that wliicli tJicy have committed to Him. He \AiIl
" keep tlicm from the evil" that is in the worhl. He an ill
keep them from the evil 07ie, the god of this world. The lion
of hell shall not be allowed to devour or even hnrt them.
He will keep them from the evil ones, the men of this world.
He will keep them from the evil things of this world, — from
sufFerino-, so far as it is an evil tliino- — from .nn, which is
essentially an evil, the evil, thing. " He will give His angels
charge concerning them to keep them in all their ways."
"All His saints are in His hand" — and "He will keep the
feet of His saints." He will " keep their spirit, soid, and
body." They are " His purchased possession," and it has cost
Him too dear to be easily parted with. So safe, so absolutely
safe, amid all the hazards of mortal life, are all who, believing
in Christ, are committing themselves to Him.
" Concerning them who are asleep," they are safe too —
their bodies safe from all suffering in the grave, " the place
where the Lord lay" — resting in hope of a resurrection
like His. " ISIy dead body," says He, " they shall arise."
Of all that the Father has given Him, of all that His people
have given Him, — and by both the whole man was committed
to Him,—" He will lose nothing, but will raise it up at the
last day." And their spirits are safe in the blissful region of
happy separate souls — " the spirits of the just made perfect"
— with Him to whom they were committed in life and in
death — where He is with His Father and their Father, His
God and their God. There they are ever near Him, under
His special care, " fed and led by Him to living fountains of
Avaters." And the hour cometh Avhen the separated portions
of the deposit shall be reunited ; and as the fully rijiened fruit
of all His labours and soitows, they shall be, if possible,
more the objects of His peculiar care and love than ever.
" Yea," says He, " they shall be mine in that day in which I
make up My jewels."
If Christians but realized these truths, could they be so
much " shaken in mind or troubled" by am' thing that can
befall them here below, as they often are ? could thev shrink,
AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. 2S0
as they often do, from putting off tins their tabernacle, " as
our Lord Jesus Christ has showed us," — parting ^yith mortal
life as reluctantly as if they were parting with life immortal,
and as if the life parted with, as well as the better life retained,
were not a portion of the deposit which they had committed to
Him who is able to keep it against that day? — Could they
shed such bitter tears, as they often do, over the graves of
those "who by dying have escaped beyond the sphere of
danger, and suffering, and death ? These are abundant con-
solations, these are good hopes. There are those here who
need them just now ; and there are those here, too, who may,
who oiight, thankfully to avail themselves of them.
When our Christian friends die, and when we come to die,
we should, if we are Christians, remember that our Lord
is but exercising the power which we cordially acknowledged
to belong to Him when we made Hiiu our depositar}'^ —
when we surrendered soul, body, and spirit to Him. He is
takino; care of what has been committed to Him : Pie is in
the best way managing those precious deposits. Let us trust
Him. If Ave know Him whom we have believed as we ouo-ht,
we could not but trust Him. He cannot mistake. He has
done. He will do, all things well. And when, at that day,
He, as it were, restores to us " our own Avith usury," — gives
us back ourselves in body, soul, and spirit, oh how changed
from what we Avere when Ave committed ourseh^es to Him ! —
we will most gratefully acknoAvledge this, and immediately re-
turning to Him the deposit He has so faithfnlly kept, so mar-
vellously improA-ed, aa^o Avill say, " It is all Thine OAvn," " Ave
are Thy Avorkmansliip ;" "We are not our OAAai, Ave are
bought Avith a price ;" — throughout eternity Ave Avill glorify
Thee Avith these perfected spirits and in these glorified bodies,
for they are Thine. To Him Avho redeemed us to God by
His blood, andAvho has kept that Avhicli Ave committed to Him
— to Him Avho Avashed us from our sins in His blood, and has
kept us by His Divine poAver through fliith to the salvation
that is in Him Avith eternal glory, be blessing, and honoiir,
and glory, and poAver, for ever and ever.
DISCOURSE III.
THE OBJECT OF THE CHRISTIAN ECONOMY, AND THE MEANS
OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT.
2 Cor. iv. 6. — For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Scriptures are often treated, by those who profess
to consider them as an authentic record of communications
from God, in a manner which would be justly considered as
disrespectful, in reference to communications from a human
superior or friend. In this remark I do not refer to that
utter neglect of the perusal of the sacred volume, or that
habitual inattention in perusing it, by which so many, who
acknowledi^e its Divine orioinal, are characterized and dis-
graced : I refer to a habit which prevails extensively among
another and a better class of Christian professors, — men who
really venerate and love the Scriptures, and who regularly
and devoutly peruse them, with an honest purpose of thus
becoming wiser and better, — the habit of iiiterpreting them
rather by the sound than by the sense — of considering de-
tached sentences, clauses, and phrases, without a reference
to the design of the sacred writer, as manifested by the con-
nection in which they are introduced, and of resting satisfied
A%-ith being able to attach to a passage something like a
meaning which accords with the general svstem of revealed
truth, without being much concerned whether this be the
precise meaning which the holy man, moved by the Divine
Spirit, or rather the Divine Spirit, wlio moved him, intended
to convev.
288 OBJECT OF THE CHRISTIAN ECONOMY
That such a mode of treating the Holy Scriptures is unbe-
coming, must be apparent on tljc slightest reflection. How
would any of us relish a similar treatment of a communica-
tion, on a subject which we deemed important, made by us to
an inferior or a friend ? That it is hurtfvd to the best in-
terests of those who indulge in it, must be equally obvious.
Every passage of Scripture has its own meaning, and is in-
tended to pi'oduce its own efl'ect ; and it Is only when I
understand its appropriate meaning that I can derive fi'om it
its appropriate influence. That sucli a mode of treating the
Holy Scriptures is not uncommon, will be readily acknow-
ledged by all who have turned their attention to the subject ;
though the extent to which it prevails, and the mischiefs
Avhicli it produces, are, I believe, much underrated.
The ordinary manner in which the passage, which I have
chosen as my text, is explained, appears to me a striking ex-
emplification of that method of interpretation to which the
above remarks refer. These words are generally considered
as descriptive of the nature and origin of that most important
of all mental revolutions which takes place, when a man,
under the influence of the Holy Spii'it, is brought to under-
stand and believe the truth in reference to God, as revealed
in the person and work of Jesus Christ ; and taken by them-
selves without any reference to the design of the discourse, of
which they form a part, the words are very well fitted to de-
scribe that change. But if we look at the passage in its con-
nection, we must be persuaded that it refers not to the
conversion of a sinner, and the means by which it is efix^cted,
but to the design of the apostolic ministry, and to the manner
in which those who were invested with it were qualified for
accomplishing that design.
A great part of this epistle is occupied in defending the
authority and dignity of the apostolic office, with which Paul
had been invested. This forms the chief subject of discussion
from the fourteenth verse of the second chapter, down to the
beginning of the seventh chapter. The apostle readily admits
that, in themselves, he and his brethren were iitterly unfit to
AND MEANS OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. 289
fill the high office to which they had been called, and to obtain
the inappreciably important objects for which it was intended.
" We are not sufficient to think anj^thing as of ourselves ;"
but he as distinctly asserts that, with the endowments divinely
furnished them, they were every way qualified for the dis-
charge of the duties, and for gaining the ends, of their holy
vocation : " Our sufficiency is of God." ' He then goes on,
according to his manner, to " magnify his office ;" and after
a most instructive comparison and contrast between the mi-
nistry of Moses under the law, and the ministry of the apostles
under the Gospel,^ he asserts that, if, notwithstanding these
statements of the truth as it is in Jesus, there were men who
remained ignorant of its meaning, and unacquainted with its
salutary influence, the fault was to be imputed not to the
Gospel, nor to their mode of stating it, but entirely to the
depravity of these men's own minds, strengthened in its
operations by diabolical influences.'' " Having received such
a ministry," — being thus divinely qualified for the discharge
of its duties, — " we faint not," we shrink not from the diffi-
culties or dangers connected with their discharge ; we attempt
not to screen ourselves by a mutilated or unfaithful deliver-
ance of our message. On the contrary, by a clear and full
statement of the truth, we approve ourselves faithful to God
and man.'' Our situation, though an important, is a subor-
dinate one. " For we preach," or proclaim, " not ourselves"
as lords ; " we preach," we proclaim, " Jesus the Lord ;" and
we proclaim " ourselves servants" — your servants, " for Jesus'
sake."^ The text follows, — " For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ ;" i.e., "we proclaim Christ the Lord, —
we proclaim ourselves His subordinate agents for your ad-
vantage; for God, by an energy, equally divine as that by
which He called light out of darkness, has illuminated our
minds in the knowledge of His olory, as it has been manifested
' 2 Cf.r. iii. 5. 2 2 Cor. iii. 6-18, ^ 2 Cor. iv. ;-?, 4.
^ 2 Cor. iv. 1, 2. ^ '1 Cor. iv. 5.
T
20O OBJECT OF THE CHRISTIAN ECO^'0.^iY,
in tlie person, and doctrine, and work, of Christ Jesus, for the
express pmiJose of our ilhiuiinating others with this know-
ledcje." Such seems to be the obvious meaning of these
words when considered in their connection ; and they natu-
rally bring before our minds two very important, interesting,
and seasonable to])ics of consideration. First, the grand
object of the Christian dispensation, — the giving the light of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ ; — and, secondly,
the grand means of accomplishing this object, — the divinely
inspired apostolic ministry. " God, Avho commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts," etc.
Allow me to turn your attention to these two closely con-
nected topics in their order.
I. Let us, then, in the first place, consider the apostle's
account of the great design of the Gospel dispensation. It is
" to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ." The language is figurative. " The
knowledge of the gloiy of God in the face of Jesus Christ," is
metaphorically represented as light ; and the apostles are re-
presented as enlightened themselves by this light, that they
may enlighten others. " The glory of God " is the manifes-
tation of the Divine excellencies ; " the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ," is the manifestation of the Divine ex-
cellencies which was made in the person, and doctrine, and
work of Jesus Christ ; and " To give the light of the know-
ledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," is just
equivalent to, to diffiTse among men the knowledge of that
manifestation.
The manifestation of the Divine excellencies is the great
end of the universe of creatures. God has " made all things
for Himself." In all that He does (and we know, " Pie
Avorketh all things according to the counsel of His own will),
He " manifests forth His glory," Pie shows Plimself to be
what He is, — inconceivably great and excellent. He cannot
act at all without shoAving forth Plis power and His wisdom ;
and He cannot act, in reference to intelligent moral beings.
AND MEANS OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. 291
without showing forth His righteousness and benignity ; so
that " the heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the
firmament sheweth His handiwork : day unto day uttereth
speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. Though
there is no speech, nor language — though their voice is not
heard, j^et their line is gone out through all the earth, and
their words to the end of the world." And with regard to
His- providential dispensations. He manifests Himself as wise,
and holy, and righteous, and good, in all His ways.
Every manifestation of the Divine excellence deserves the
devout attention of every intelligent being, within whose sphere
of mental vision it is made, and is fitted to exert a favourable
influence on the character and happiness of such^as devoutly
attend to it ; but the most complete and strildng manifesta-
tion which the Di\ane Being ever made of His excellencies,
and that which is fitted above all others to exert a favourable
influence over the minds of those who are called to contem-
plate it, is that referred to in the text, — " the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ."
The Divinity was manifested in the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was what no other divine messenger had ever
been ; He was an incarnation of the Divinity, — He was " God
manifested in the flesh," — He was " the brightness of His
glory, and the express image of His person." He and the
Father were so " one,^^ that " he who saw Him, saw^the
Father." He was " the eternal, living. One who was with the
Father, manifested to men ;" so that the wisdom He displayed
was divine wisdom, — the power He put forth, divine power,
— the benignity He manifested, divine benignity.
As there was a manifestation of the Divinity in the jjerson
of Jesus Christ, there was also a manifestation of the Divinity
in His doctrine. " No man hath seen God at any time, the
only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He
hath declared Him." In that wondrous scheme, the outlines
of which are contained in the folloAving statements of our
Lord : — " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth
292 OBJECT OF THE CHRISTIAN ECONOMY,
on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life ; for God
so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have ever-
lasting life; for God sent not His Son into the world to condemn
the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" —
in this wondrous scheme — in the development of the " mys-
tery which was hid in God from the foundation of the world"
— what a glorious light was diffused over the Divine character !
how boundlessly powerful, how unfathomably wise, how im-
maculately holy, how inflexibly just, how infinitely benignant,
does the Divine Being appear !
The manifestation of the Divine excellence chiefly referred
to, how^ever, in our text, seems to be the manifestation made
in the icorh of the God-man, Jesus Christ- — in what He did,
and suffered, and obtained, for the salvation of a lost world.
The aspect in which we are called to contemplate the
Divinit}^, is " God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself;
not imputing to men their trespasses, seeing He hath made
Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in Him." The whole of the
incarnate Redeemer's work was, as it were, a proclamation,
more distinct than that made to Moses of old, of the name of
Jehovah. " The Lord, the Lord God, merciftd and gracious,
long-suft'ering, and abundant in goodness and in truth, keep-
ing mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression,
and sin ; who while He will not, while He cannot, by any
means " clear the guilty," without satisfaction to the injured
honovu* of His character and government, hath set forth His
Son " a propitiation, declaring His righteousness in the remis-
sion of sins;" declaring that He is a "just God and a Saviour;"
just, and the Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus." This
certainly was by far the most illustrious display ever made of
the Divine character. To use the words of the greatest of our
Scottish theologians : " Here shines spotless justice, incom-
prehensible wisdom, and infinite love, all at once. None of
them darkens or eclipses any of the rest. Every one of them
giA^es a lustre to the rest. They mingle their beams, and shine
AND ME.y»fS OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. 293
with united eternal splendour : The just Judge, the kind
Father, the wise Governor. No other object gives such a
display of all these perfections ; yea, all the objects we know
give not such a display of any one of them. Nowhere does
justice appear so awful, mercy so amiable, or wisdom so pro-
found."^ Here we see a divinity, the " Father of lights," full
orbed in the complete round of His attributes, looking down
from heaven with purest, yet mildest radiance, on a redeemed
world. " ISIercy and truth are met together, righteousness
and peace have embraced each other." " O the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God ! how
unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding
out !" O " the exceeding greatness of His power towards us
who believe!" O "the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height, of that love which passeth knov.dedge!" In this
manifestation of the glories of divinity, the rays of unsuffer-
able brightness which issue forth from the high and holy place
which forms the abode of Deity, and which, unmitigated,
would blast our vision with excessive light, are intercepted, as
it were, in their way to our distant region of the universe, by
the cloud of the Saviour's humanity, and so softened into the
mingled beauties of the bow, which is the emblem of peace and
mercy, that the mental eye can rest on them with unmingled
satisfaction and ever-growing delight.^
This display of the Divine glory is the grand subject of the
Gospel revelation and to make it generally known, is the
great design of all the arrangements of the Christian economy.
To enlighten an ignorant, and to reclaim a rebellious world,
by an exhibition of the grandeur and grace, the infinite
venerableness, and amiableness, and kindness, of Him "of
wdiom are all things, and by whom are all things," as these
excellencies w^ere manifested in the person, and doctrine, and
work of His incarnate Son — this is the sublime and beneficent
design of the Gospel dispensation.
II. Let us now proceed to consider, in the second place,
' M'Laurin. 2 Bishop IJall.
294 OBJECT OF THE CTIRT8T1AX EC0N031Y
tlie grand means by which this great purpose is accomplished
— the divinely inspired apostolic ininistr}'.
That " the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ," may be diffused, " God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness," says the apostle, " hath shined in
our hearts." When it is said that God had shined in the
hearts of the apostles, the meaning is that God had revealed
to the apostles the truth with regard to His o^\^l character, as
manifested in the person, and doctrine, and work of Jesus
Christ; and the descriptive appellation, "He who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness," seems introduced to sug-
gest the idea, that their knowledge of " the mystery of God,
and of the Father, and of Christ," was as really the effect of
divine supernatural agency, as the production of light in the
first creation. Wliat they spoke was " the wisdom of God in
a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God had ordained
before the world to their glory; what eye had not seen, what
ear had not heard, and what it never could have entered into
the heart of man to conceive, but which God had revealed to
them by His Holy Spirit." They did not state their own
mind ; they had " the mind of Christ." They were " in
Christ's stead ;" and having received " the light of the know-
ledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," they
communicated it to others, " not in words, which man's wisdom
teaclieth, but which the Holy Ghost taught them," being
" ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."
The most satisfactory account of the manner in Avliich the
apostles were fitted for gaining the great end of the Christian
dispensation, the diffusing " the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," is contained in the
concluding verse of the preceding chapter, which is indeed a
very striking commentary on our text, and furnishes a fine
proof by example, that Scripture is the best interpreter of
Scripture. " But we all with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image,
from glor}' to glory, even as by the Spirit of tlie Lord."^
1 2 Cor. iii. IS.
AXD MEAXS OF ITS ACCOMrLISHMENT. 295
These words have usually been explained as referring to
the process of sanctification through the knowledge and
belief of the truth in the case of all true Christians ; and con-
sidered \^athout any reference to their connection, they seem
^ery well fitted to give an interesting, and just, and useful
view of that important doctrine ; but if we look at them in
their reference to the design of the apostle, and the object of
his discourse, we mil see plainly that they describe, not the
way in which depraved men become holy, but the way in
which the Christian apostles became " able," or qualified,
" ministers of the New Testament " — persons fitted to diffuse
" the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesui5
Christ."
After asserting that God, "of whom are all things" in the
new economy, had made him and his apostoKc brethren " able
ministers of the New Testament," he proceeds to compare, or
rather to contrast, their ministry under the Gospel, with the
ministry of Moses under the law. In instituting this com-
parison, he very happily avails himself of a remarkable fact in
Moses' history. The visible glory of Jehovah produced a
radiance on Moses' countenance, which made it necessary for
him to vail it. The facts referred to are recorded in Exod.
xxxiv. 29-35 : " And it came to pass, when Moses came
down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in
Moses' hand, (when he came down from the mount), that
Moses wist not that the skin of liis face shone while He talked
with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel
saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone : and they were
afraid to come nio-h him. And Moses called unto them : and
Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto
him : and IMoses talked with them. And afterward all the
children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in command-
ment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail
on his face. But when Moses Avent in before the Lord, to
speak with Him, he took the vail off, until he came out.
And he came out, nnd spake unto the children of Israel that
2UH OBJECT OF THE CHRISTIAN ECONOMY,
which he was commanded. Aiid the children of Israel saw
the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face slione : and
Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to
spenk with Him."
The manner in Avliich the apostle applies this fact to his
purpose is eminently beautiful. A spiritual revelation of the
glory of God was made to Moses' mind, as well as a material
exliibition of eminent splendour to his eyes. As his coun-
tenance, when irradiated by this heavenly light, shone on his
countrv^men, so the revelation made to his mind, was to be
reflected to their minds ; but in the manner in which that
revelation was made, there was an obscurity of which the vail
with which he covered his face was a striking emblem. Tliat
revelation was intentionally, to a certain extent, obscure, " so
that they " to whom it was given " could not stedfastly look
to the end of that which is abolished ;" i. e, they could
not distinctly or fully understand the design or meaning of
that economy which had now passed away. And, indeed,
says the apostle, even yet this obscimty continues with regard
to the great body of the Jews, and must continue " till they
tuna to the Lord ;" i. e. the Lord, the Messiah, who is " the
end of that which is abolished:" for "Christ for rio-hteousness
to every one that believeth, is the end of the law," and He is
" the Spirit " of that literal economy. When they come to
Him " the vail " will be removed, and they will be able dis-
tinctly to apprehend the glor}- of God as revealed to jSIoses.
But no such obscurity belongs to the apostolic mode of re-
flecting that fuller display of " the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ," which had been made to them. On the con-
trary, " they all, with un vailed face," acting as mirrors (for
that seems the force of the word which is rendered by our
translators, " beholding as in a glass ;" and by other learned
men, "reflecting as from a mirror"^), acting as mirrors in
reference to " the glory of the Lord," " in the face of Jesus
Christ," M'ho is the image of God, ?. e. receiving and re-
' KXTOTTTQlO^i^H'OI.
AND MEANS OF ITS AOCOMPLI8HMENT. 297
fleeting the image, " are changed into the same image,"
or ^^ according to the same image, BY glory" (for it deserves
notice, that it is the same particle that is rendered /rom here,
that is rendered by in the last clause of the verse ; and as
there can be no doubt that it is rightly rendered there, and as
that last clause is plainly explanatory of that which preceded,
it seems right that the same rendering should be adopted
here), " they are changed by glory," i. e. the glory of God in
the face of His Son ; " unto glory," that infinitely glorious
object shining on their minds as mirrors, makes them also
luminous and glorious, and fits them for "giving" — communi-
cating, and diffusing the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God. The concluding words are better rendered in the
margin, " the Lord, the Spirit" — obviously referring, as they
do, to the words in the 17th verse, "now the Lord is that
Spirit;" and they intimate to us that it was by "the Lord, the
Spirit " — the end and meaning of the Old Testament revela-
tion— that the apostles were fitted to be able ministers of the
New Testament, His mind becoming their minds ; and thus
they in their measure becoming images of Him, as He, in an
infinitely higher way and degree, w^as " the image of God."
Such is the view which the apostle gives of the manner in
which a divinely inspired apostolic ministry was rendered the
effectual means of gaining the great object of the Christian
dispensation — the giving " the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And accordingly
we find that Christ, and God in Christ, are the grand themes
of their ministry. They turn away the attention of men from
themselves. They say, "Why marvel ye at this, or why
look ye so stedfastly on us." Behold Him — behold Him —
behold the great Prophet, the true High Priest, the Divine
King ! and behold God in PIim reconciling the world to
Himself.
The great duty which rises out of these statements is an
implicit submission of mind to the apostolic testimony. There
are men who ])rofes,s a very high veneration for " the words
29 8 OBJECT or the chuistian economy,
of the Lord Jesus," — avIio avow that tliey liold, in no such
estimation, " the commandments of the apostles of the Lord
and Savionr," — who seek all their articles of belief in the
fom* gospels, and consider the epistles as occupied, in a good
degi'ee, with matters of inferior and temporaiy im])ortance, or
things of " doubtful disputation," Nothing can be more
remote fi-om the truth than this opinion. It has been justly
remarked, that the Son of God came fi^om heaven, not so
much, personall}^, to make a complete revelation of the Gospel,
as to be the subject of that revelation, by doing and suffering
all that was necessary for the salvation of mankind. Just
before He left the world He made this declaration : — " I have
yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them
now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He
will guide j^ou into all truth : for He shall not speak of Him-
self; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak : and
He will show a'ou things to come;"^ a declaration plainlv
intimatino; that He had not fullv declared the doctrines of the
Gospel, but left that to be done by the Holy Spirit, to those
men whom He appointed for the pm^DOse of laying the foun-
dation of His spiritual kingdom. If we would understand
Christianity aright, then, we must study, with pecviliar care,
the apostolical epistles. They absolutely require, they richly
deserve, they will abundantly repay, the most careful study :
and in studpng them, let us never forget that these men had
the mind of Christ, and that it is by ovu' vmderstanding and
believing Avhat they reveal, that the mind that was in Christ
is to be in us also. This is the sixbstance of the apostolical
testimony, and this is the avowed design of it. " That which
was fi'om the beginning, which we have heard, Avhich we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
liands have handled, of the Word of Life (for the life was
manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show
unto vou that eternal life which Avas with the Father, and
was manifested unto us) ; that which Ave have seen and heard
declare Ave unto you, that ye also may have fellowship Avitli
1 John xvi. T_>, 13.
AND MEANS OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. 299
lis : and truly owe fellowship is with the Father, and with His
Son Jesus Christ."^
The apostolic ministry had its peculiar honours, and, as em-
bodied in the inspired writings of those who filled it, is still
promoting the edification of the Church of Christ, and will
continue to do so to the end of the present order of things.
According to the promise of their Lord, they still sit on their
-thrones, judging the tribes of the spiritual Israel : and " what
they bind is bou.nd in heaven, and what they loose is loosed in
heaven." For ordinary ministers to assume their peculiar
honours, or to pretend to possess their distinguishing gifts, is
either shameful imposture, or wild fanaticism. But still it is
true that, in their own measure, and in their own station, the
ordinary ministers of Christ are intended and fitted to further
the great object of the Christian revelation — " the giving the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God;" and to them,
within certain limits which it is not usually difficult to trace
out, is applicable much of what is said of the apostolic
ministry.
The very interesting passage which I have attempted to
illustrate, is replete wdth instruction of this indirect kind, both
in reference to what ought to be the character, and what is
the dut}^, of the ordinary Christian minister, and what is the
duty of those who enjoy his labours.
With regard to the character of the Christian minister, they
suggest this truth — one of infinite importance to those who
fidl the ministerial office — that he ouo-ht to be one in wdiose
heart " God, avIio commanded the light to shine out of dark-
ness," has shone, not, indeed, by the inspiring influence of the
Holy Spirit, but by His spiritually enlightening influence.
He ought not merely to be a person well versed in theology as
a science, but he ought to be a person who, under Divine influ-
ence, has been made to understand and believe " the truth as
it is in Jesus ;" one by whom the great subjects of His minis-
try are not made mere topics for ingenious speculation, or
1 1 John i. l~3.
300 OBJECT OF THE CHKISTEVN ECONOMY,
themes for eloquent declamation, but are felt to be pre-emi-
nently realities, and avIio can honestly say, " I believe, and
therefore speak." That a truly spiritual Christianity is neces-
sary to a man's being a minister, or even to his being, to a
certain extent, a useful minister, is more than I am prepared
to assert ; but siirely he who possesses such a Christianity has
prodigious advantages, as a professional man, above him who
wants it, for whom — however learned and eloquent, and appa-
rently successful, he may be — it had been better that he had
occupied any station in society rather than that which he does
occupy ; aye, for whom " it had been better that he had never
been born." Those to whom the ministry of reconciliation
was originally committed, were men who had themselves been
" reconciled to God through Christ Jesus ;" and so ought to
be all their successors.
With regard to the duties of the Christian minister, much
important truth is suggested by the figure which the text em-
ploys, as illustrating the way in which the apostolic ministry was
useful in gaining its object, and which, within certain limits,
is equally applicable to ordinary Christian teachers in all ages.
If they are to do good they must be mirrors. They must re-
ceive, and reflect, the image of God. They are not to expect
to receive new revelations, as the apostles did, but they are to
study the revelations they received, seeking the guidance of
the Holy Spirit. They are to add nothing — they are to with-
hold nothing. They must not exaggerate — they must not ex-
tenuate. What they receive they must deliver ; and deliver as
they receive it. The primary excellence of a mirror is its
truth — its receiving and reflecting the image of the object as it
really exists. If it gives colours, hoAvever beautiful, Avhicli do
not belong to the object, it deceives. The manner in which
the mirror is set is a matter of very inferior consequence ; but if
the curious cutting on the glass, or the richly ornamented frame,
draw away the attention from the object which the mirror
represents, they had better not l)e there. To knoAv " the
truth," the Avhole truth, " as it is in Jesus," and to state
clearly and impressively tlie truth — the whole truth as it is in
AND MEANS OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. 301
Jesus — these are tlie great primary duties of the Christian
teacher.
Bvit the passao-e sussests instruction, not only to those who
fill the office of the Christian ministry, hut to those who enjoy
their labours. It is your duty, my brethren, to wait on our
teaching. But when you come here, you ought not to come
to hear what a man like yourselves will say ; bu.t " to hear
what God the Lord will say." We hold up the mirror to
you. We w^ould turn away your attention from ourselves
to the great subject of our ministry. Your eternal salvation,
and your present comfort and improvement, depend on your
habitually " looking to Jesus," the image of the invisible God,
and thus becoming conformed to His mind, imbued by His
Spirit. It is our wish to be " highly esteemed" by you " for
oui* work's sake," and nothing is dearer to us than the good
opinion of enlightened Christians, except the approbation of
our conscience and the smile of our Master ; but we would
not, though Ave coiTld, occupy in any degree the place which
is His due. As you value your own interests, and as you
wish for our success, never forget that " we preach not our-
selves,— lords, "but Christ Jesus tlie Lord, and ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake."
The caution can scarcely be too ft'equently repeated, " Cease
ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he
to be accounted of?" The fact, that I am standing here as
your pastor to-day reads a silent but an energetic commentary
o]i the passage I have just quoted. " Our fathers, where are
they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" — " All flesh
is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass wi there th, and the flower thereof falleth away : but
the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the
word which, by the Gospel, is preached unto you." ^
1 This sermon was preached on the Lord's Day immedrately after tlie
author's induction into the pastoral charge of the United Associate
Congregation of Rroughton Place, and the reference is to his predecessor,
the Rev. James Hall, D.D., whose friendsliip he had long enjoyed, and
highly esteemed.
302 OBJECT OF THE CUKISTIAX ECONOMY, ETC
It is melancholy to tliink, that the most " burning and
shinina" inferior " lights" in the firmament of the cluu'ch must
set, and often do set prematurely, in the darkness of the grave ;
but it is delightfiil to reflect, that not merely does " the Sun
of Eighteousness," " the express image" of " the Father of
lights," shine for ever miobscured in the heaven of heavens,
but that the glorious concentration of His beams, in the book
of revelation, still continues to illuminate our dark world, and
shall rise higher and higher in the sky, till it pour a flood of
transforming efi'ulgence over all the nations, covering the
whole earth with the glory of the Lord, and till the glorious
consummation — the object towards which the desires of all the
good and wise in the universe have been steachly and earnestly
pointed since the commencement of time, shall be fully accom-
plished, and " God be all in all."
DISCOURSE IV.
the cfleistian minister s request to his people, on
the commencement, and towards the close of his
ministry/
Eph. vi. 19.— Praying ^vith all prayer — for me, that utterance may
be given me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the
mystery of the Gospel.
It is just fifty years since I preached from this text to the
congregation of Biggar, my first pastoral charge. It was a
solemn season to them and to me. It was the commencement
of a ministry which has stretched out to a length little anti-
cipated, and which must be drawing near its close. I lay the
discourse then delivered before you to-day ; for, on reflection,
I could not think of any way in which, in the circumstances
in which we are placed, I was likely to do more good, either
to you or to myself.
Prayer is an important religious duty. Like all duty, it
has its foundation in the will of God, and that wall is
revealed in the constitution of man, which is the work of
God's hand, and in his circumstances, Avhicli are the result
of God's providence. Dependent, weak, ignorant, and guilty,
and conscious of all this, it is obviously right, reasonable, and
becoming in man, to acluiowledge, with sentiments of venera-
tion and gratitude, that great Being to whom he owes exist-
ence with all its comforts; to supplicate Him, who is infinitely
1 Preached at Biggar on 9th Feb. 1800, and at Broughton Place, Edin-
burgh, 10th Feb. ISdCj.
304 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST.
powerful, to protect liiin from danger; Ilim who is infinitely
wise, to instruct Him in all necessary knowledge, and guide
him into its right use ; Him who is infinitely benignant, to
pardon his sins, and deliver him from those evils, felt and
feared, to which they have exposed him.
The duty of prayer, which thus obviously arises from the
constitution and situation of man, is unequivocally enjoined
in the Holy Scriptures, that clear, well authenticated revela-
tion of the Divine will. Its nature is there fully explained,
and its performance powerfully enforced : "Trust in the Lord
at all times, ye people ; pour out your hearts before Him :
God is a refuge for us. Ask and ye shall receive, seek and
ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Men
onnht always to pray and not to faint. Be careful for nothing,
but in everything, by prayer and supplication, make your re-
quests known unto God. If any man lack wisdom, let him
ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not. If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children ; how nuich more will your heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to them who ask Him 1 "
It is not, however, to the duty of prayer in general, that
your attention is now to be directed : I mean to confine my-
self to the illustration and enforcement of a particular species
of mutual intercession.
Man is not formed to live in solitude. Experience con-
firms the declaration of the Creator — " It is not good for man
to be alone." There are powers of action and enjoyment in
human natm-e which can be dra\^^l out into exercise only by
the influence of social relation and intercourse. Out of the
connections generated by these principles, rise many of man's
duties ; and among these, to the mind enlightened b}' Divine
revelation, mutual intercession will appear to be not one of
the least important. The Holy Scriptures, while they repre-
sent mankind as brethren — children of the same fomily, and
connected by a common nature and common interests — teach
us to express our sentiments of mutual attachment, not merely
by personal kindness, but also by recommending our fellow-
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 8()o
men to the favour and protection of our common, great and
beneficent, Parent. Bound, as we thus are, to pray for all
men, we are laid under additional obligations to make sup-
plication for those with whom we are more intimately con-
nected. A father, a brother, and a fi'iend, have claims to
peculiar regard in our addresses to the throne of the heavenly
grace.
Besides these natural relations, there are various kinds
of connections voluntarily formed, which give rise to peculiar
modifications of the duty of mutual intercession. Of this
species of connection there is none more important than that
which takes place among the members of the Christian Church.
The relation by which they are bound together is of the most
intimate and tender nature. They are all members of Christ,
and, in consequence of this, all members one of another.
Accordingly, we find Christians frequently and warmly ex-
horted to the duty of mutual intercession — " Confess your
sins one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be
healed ;" " Praying always with all prayer and sujDplication in
the spirit, and watching thereunto, with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints." Strong as are the obligations under
which Christians lie to pray for all their brethren, there is a
variety of circumstances which may give particular members
of the holy society a claim to a superior interest in the prayers of
the faithful ; and of these circumstances, the investiture with
the office of the holy ministry is confessedly the most impor-
tant. This duty of prayer for ministers is clearly implied in
the passage I have read ; and its enforcement shall, for reasons
which must be obvious to every one, form the principal sub-
ject of the following discourse : " Praying for me, that utter-
ance may be given me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to
make known the mystery of the Gospel."
In the sequel, I will shortly illustrate the propositions which
seem naturally involved in the words of the apostle. These
seem to be the three folloAving : — First, That "to make known
the mystery of the Gospel," is the great duty of a Christian
minister. Second, Tliat in order to the proper discharge of
u
30G THE CIIKISTIAX MINISTER'S REQUEST.
this duty, utterance and boldness are necessary. And Third,
that those who enjoy his ministrations, ought to pray that he
may be enabled to do his duty in the appointed way.
I. The first proposition implied in the text is, that " to
make known the mystery of the Gospel," is the great duty of
a Christian minister.
The term " Gospel" signifies good neAvs ; and, in strict
propriety of language, is descriptive of the glad tidings of
peace and mercy to mankind, through the substitution, obe-
dience, and death of the incarnate Son of God. It is here,
however, and in many other passages of Scripture, used for
the whole system of truth revealed in connection with this
message of inercy.
This revelation is here represented as a mystery — "the
mystery of the Gospel." The term " mystery," in common
language, describes any doctrine which transcends the com-
prehension of the human faculties. In this sense of the word,
there are many mysteries in the Gospel. Of these we have
examples in the existence of Divinity in a plurality of persons,
without division of essence — and in the union of the Divine
nature with the human in the Saviour of mankind, without
confusion of essences or multiplication of persons. AYliile a
most reasonable faith assures us that these things are — for
God has said so — hviman ingenuity in vain attempts to ex-
plain hoio.
The mysteriousness of our religion has often been brought
fonvard as an objection against its truth, by those whose char-
acter and conduct natui'ally indispose them to admit its truth,
or by those who, led astray by the delusive light of a vain philo-
sophy, have rashly conceded an unlimited empire to human
reason. The analogies of nature, however, furnish us with
satisfactory answers to this objection. Everything around
us, both in the material and sentient world, is ultimatelv
mysterious. We can collect a variety of facts in regard to it,
and class them under general heads ; but we can go no farther
— we must resolve these general facts — these laws of nattu'e, as
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 307
tiiey are termed — into the good pleasure of tlie Almighty. We
cannot doubt that they are, but hoiv, and why, we are utterly ig-
norant. Wlien these pretenders to science shall have explained
the mystery of their own being, or even unfolded the reason
of the organization of the most trifling weed which springs
out of the earth — ichy it should have been what it is, and
nothing else ; when they shall have explained, what they can-
not doubt, the existence of time, and space, and motion — the
defenders of revelation may think themselves called upon to
assign a reason why, in a system embracing the whole moral
administration of God, comprehending the universe, and reach-
ing from eternity to eternity, anything should be found to
baffle the comprehension of man.
The duty of the Christian minister, with regard to such
mysterious subjects is, faithfully to state what he finds in
the Holy Scriptures. Reasoning and minute inquiry in
relation to them, except so far as is necessary to ascertain
the precise meaning of the inspired writers, is out of place.
Men of the most enlarged understandings, and deeply versant
in the art of reasoning, have indeed engaged in these occu-
pations, but they have only shown that the highest endow-
ments and acquirements are worse than useless when injudi-
ciously employed. It is most fitting that human reason should
occupy a place inferior to Divine revelation. It is the proper
business of Reason to investigate the claims of revelation to
a divine origin, and to inquire into the meaning of the terms
in which it is expressed ; but when these have been ascer-
tained, nothing remains for her but firmly to believe and
humbly to adore.
But the word " mystery," is most frequently used in Scrip-
ture to ]3oint out a truth which, though formerly unknown,
and perhaps undiscoverable by the unassisted powers of man,
may yet, when revealed, be in a good measure understood
and explained. Under this head may be classed almost all
the distinguishing doctrines of the Christian religion. That
God is merciful to sinners through the mediation of Ilis Son;
that Christ Jesus has, by His obedience and suffering, ob-
;5()S THE ciiRiSTiAX minister's request.
taiiied pardon and salvation for men ; tliat the bodies of man-
kind shall be raised from a state of death and corruption, and
re-animated by their fonner souls ; that the righteous shall
enjoy a state of endless happiness, and the wicked be sub-
jected to an eternity of punishment — are truths which, though
not discoverable by human reason, may yet, when revealed,
be in a good measure comprehended and reasoned from. To
illustrate these doctrines in their various connexions and
dependencies, to point out their bearings on the duty and
happiness of mankind, and to repel the objections of adver-
saries, form the great work of Christian ministers. They are
appointed to declare the whole counsel of God in reference
to the salvation of man — to confute gainsayers, and to bruld
up believers in the knowledge, and faith, and comfort of the
truth, as it is in Jesus.
It is more than probable, from the connection in which our
text is introduced, that the a2:)ostle had immediately in his
view that peculiar " mystery of the Gospel" — the admission
of the Gentiles to an equal participation of the benefits of the
new dispensation of Divine grace wuth the descendants of
Jacob. This, though revealed plainly — as w^e are apt to sup-
pose, wdio live when the prophecies and symbols have been
illustrated by events — was yet felt to be a thing hard to be
understood by a large proportion of the members of the Jewish
Church. Hence it is termed " the mystery which was hid
from former ages and generations, but is now made mani-
fest to the saints." This important and delightfrd truth must
be made known by every Gentile minister, as it lays the
foundation of his office. Had not Jesus " destroyed in His
flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in
ordinances" — had He not " blotted out the handA^Titing that
was against us," — He, by His servants, could never have
" come and preached peace to us who were afar off, as well
as to them who were nigh." It is OA^ang to the same circum-
tances, that " we, who were afar off, are no longer strangers
and foreio-ners, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the
household of faith."
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 309
II. The second proposition implied in the text is — that
"utterance and boldness" are necessary in order to the proper
discharge of the ministerial office.
The term " utterance," which is precisely synonymous with
the phrase " door of utterance," in the parallel passage in the
Epistle to the Colossians, is a rabbinical expression, and refers
at once to a liberty to preach, and to a facility in communi-
cating, the truths of the Gospel in an accurate and per-
spicuous style.
When our apostle wrote this epistle, he was a prisoner at
Rome, in consequence of his appeal to Nero the Emperor.
This situation could not fail to be in a high decree irksome
to the apostle's active mind, even though his sorrows were
lightened by the kind attentions of the centurion and the
captain of the guard, whose hearts, unhardened by the scenes
of cruelty incident to their profession, prompted them to miti-
gate the rigours of bondage by the soft offices of humanity.^
The sphere of his usefulness, and, consequently, of his happi-
ness, was thus greatly narrowed ; and he here supplicates
the prayers of the Ephesian church, that he might soon be
allowed to recommence his laboiu's in the extensive charge
committed to him by the Holy Ghost.
The leading principles of a man's mind will manifest them-
selves in the most disadvantageous circumstances. Paul dili-
gently improved the partial liberty allowed him — he " received
all that came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teach-
ing those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with
all confidence." For the proper discharge of this duty, even
in his present situation, and still more so in the more exten-
sive sphere of action after which he so ardently longed, he
well knew that the gift of utterance was absolutely necessary.
That this power of utterance — a faculty of communicating
knowledge, in an accurate, perspicuous, and energetic manner
— is still of the utmost importance to a Christian minister, is
a truth too obvious to require, or indeed admit of, much illus-
' Acts xxviii. 16, 30.
o
10 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST.
tration. The greatest stores of knowledge must be useless to
the world if their possessor be incapable of communicating
them. Some of the greatest and best men in every age have
laboured under this disadvantao;e. From a defect in the
organs of speech, or fi'om a natural timidity, they have been
incapable of doing justice to their own conceptions. Moses
was slow of speech, and not eloquent ; and in oiu* own age
and country, there are not wanting instances of men who,
thoucrh by their wantings thev have instructed and delighted
the world, have yet, from a deficiency in their powers of utter-
ance, been incapable of acting their part well, even in common
conversation.
It is not uncommon, among a certain class of w^ell-dis-
posed men, to disparage the eloquence of the pulpit, and to
represent the cultivation of this talent as implying a diffidence
in the peculiar influences of the Holy Spirit. But there is,
surely, no incompatibility between a careful use of the means
calculated to promote an end, and a humble dependency on
divine agency in order to make these means accomplish the
desired effect. And perhaps we would not be guilty of any
breach of that charity which thinketh no evil, were we to im-
pute to the propagators of this opinion, a weak en\'y of that
excellence which they find it an easier task to decry, than to
imitate. The Apostle Paul does indeed frequently speak
with the utmost contempt of that tinselled eloquence Avhich
prevailed among the sophists of Greece and Rome, the aim of
which was rather to exercise the ingenuity, and to amuse the
fancy, than to instruct the mind, or to impress the heart.
But Paul would have ill exemplified his own rules, had he
enjoined a careless and slovenly oratory, for w^e find in his
writings many specimens of eloquence the most sublime and
affecting ; and his mode of address was so animated and
pleasing, that the idolaters of Lystra conceived that ^Mercury
had descended to the earth, and hailed our apostle as an in-
carnation of " the god of eloquence." This qualification,
though certainly subordinate, is by no means unimportant in
the character of a minister. He is ill fitted for the ministry
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 31 1
of the Gospel, who is not " apt to teach," and who does not
" seek out acceptable words."
For the conthiuance and improvement of this ministerial
talent, the Christian people ought to offer up fervent prayers
in behalf of their teacher. True eloquence is one of the good
gifts which cometh down from above from the Father of
lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning. " For who hath made man's mouth ? or who maketli
the dumb, the deaf, the seeing, and the blind ? Have not I,
saith the Lord?"
But a facility in communicating the truths of the Gospel is
not the only requisite mentioned by the apostle, for the proper
cUscharge of the ministerial office. " Boldness " is necessary,
in order to make known the mystery of the Gospel.
A certain portion of this quality of mind is necessary in
order to enable a man to acquit himself well in every situa-
tion of life. "We are born to trouble as the sparks fly
upward." Vicissitudes and calamities, in endless succession,
alarm and perplex us. Every individual of our race has a
share of sufferings allotted him, which he must either encoun-
ter with intrepidity and rise above, or sink down the hapless
victim of despondency and sorrow. There are, however,
situations which require a more than ordinary exertion of this
endowment. In such a situation, Paul and his apostolic
brethren were placed : " I think," says he, " that God hath set
us forth, the apostles last, as it were, a spectacle to the world,
and to the angels, and to men. We both hunger and thirst,
and are naked and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-
place ; and are accounted as the filth of the world, and the
offscouring of all things." To persist in teaching a system of
doctrine which was treated with contempt equally by the
learned Greek and the bigoted Jew, and to pursue with un-
remitting energy a course of disinterested benevolence, while
their generous exertions were rewarded with reproach and
persecution, required no common share of this noble principle.
Ha]:)pily for us, the Christian minister, in our country and
age, is exposed to no such dangers. Under the protection of
ol2 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST.
a mild and enlightened government, we enjoy the liberty of
observing the ordinances of oui' God according to the mode
which we think enjoined in the Scriptures. Still, however,
to the reflecting mind, it will appear that a considerable por-
tion of fortitude is necessary to complete the character of the
Christian minister in eveiy age. The truths inculcated by
him are in direct opposition to the leading principles of
dej)raved humanity, and a faithful exhibition of them can
scarcely fail to procure him enemies. Bad men will always
hate him who tells them the tnitli. Knowledge, in its pro-
gress in this country, has wrested the sword from the hand of
bigoted zeal : but ignorance, pride, and enmity, still exist in
the unrenewed heart, and naturally lead men to oppose the
exertions of the faithftil minister. The conduct enjoined on
him by duty in cases of discipline, may be expected sometimes
to irritate those who are immediately concerned. His motives
Avill be misrepresented, his conduct condemned, and his char-
acter traduced. In these and a variety of other instances
which might easily be particularised, it is impossible for a
minister without fortitude to preserve his conscience unsullied,
and his usefulness unimpaired.
This, as well as the former blessing, can be obtained only
fi'om God. He can, by placing before our minds the awful
responsibilities under which Ave are placed, and the glorious
rewards which await the faithful servant of Christ in a future
world, raise us above being agitated by the hopes and fears
of the present world, and enable us resolutely to persevere
in the performance of our duty, heedless alike of its smiles
and of its froAvns.
HI. The third proposition involved in our text is, — that
those who enjoy the advantages of the Christian ministiy,
ought to pray that their teachers may be enabled to perform
their duty in the appointed way.
It is not uncommon to hear the ministerial office repre-
sented as a sinecm'e, and its duties as few and easv of accom-
plishment. These are the declamations of ignorant, design-
THE CHllISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 313
iiig, or unprincipled men. To a rational thinker, whatever
may be his opinion as to the truth of our religion, the function
of a Christian teacher, when conscientiously discharged, must
appear in a high degree laborious and difficult.
I know no better way of setting the truth of this remark in
a clear point of light, than by a cursory review of these duties,
and the temptations wdiich are apt to prevent us fi'om per-
forming them aright.^
Public preaching is the leading duty of the pastoral office.
The doctrines of the Gospel, the precepts of the law, their
mutual connection, and their influence in transforming the
character and regulating the conduct, are the principal topics
which the Christian preacher is required to explain and en-
force. In order to acquit himself honourably in performing
this part of his duty, he must be well acquainted with the
Christian system of belief and morals, and with the sources
of all true theological knowledge — the original Scriptures of
the Old Testament and the New. To obtain this knowledge,
careful meditation and study are obviously necessary, and
even these will avail but little if, to a correct acquaintance
with the principles of the system taught in Scripture, he do
not add a deep-felt experience of their influence on the heart.
In explaining the doctrines of the Bible, he must endea-
vour to state them fiilly, accurately, plainly; to free them
from common misapprehensions and misrepresentations; to un-
fold their mutual relations, dependencies, and uses ; and so to
meet and repel the objections of adversaries, as that the candid
inquirer after truth shall be satisfled, and the captious sceptic,
if not con-vinced, reduced to silence. This cannot be done to
purpose without hard study ; while, to unveil the workings of
the human heart, that mystery of iniquity, to trace the secret
foldings of the understanding and the heart, to investigate the
sou.rces of error and of vice, which must be done in order to
efficient preaching, require a knowledge of human character,
^ In the illustration of this particular, I have availed myself of Dr
Erskine's admirable "Discourses on the Difficulties of the Pastoral Office."
ol4 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST.
iind a careful attention to lunnau life, which are not of easy
attainment.
The difficulties attending the preaching the Gospel are
greatly heightened by the character of many of those to whom
it is addressed. The leading principles of our religion are in
direct opposition to the strongest aiiections of our corrupted
nature. In a country where Christianity is nominally the
national religion, many of the hearers of the Christian
minister, far from being lovers of holiness and sincere
inquirers after truth, are to be found among those who are
enslaved by their corrupted passions, alienated from the life
of God through the ignorance that is in them, lovers of dark-
ness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. These
men are enamoured of their disease, have no desire to recover,
and shun the only medicine as poison. The physician of the soul
has difficulties to which the physician of the body is a stranger.
Besides this unhappy bias of human natiu-e — in forming an
estimate of the difficulties of the Christian ministry — we must
take into the account the diversities of the tempers, characters,
habits, and situations of mankind. The careless must be
roused, the unwary comiselled, the ignorant instructed, the
doubting established, and the wine and oil of heavenly conso-
lation must be poured into the wounds of the bleeding heart.
How difficult must it be to minister to each of these classes,
according to their respective wants — to distribute to each of
them his portion of food in due season ! It requires no
superior powers of mind to display, in pulpit discourses, such
an acquaintance with critical and literary subjects, as will
amaze the less informed part of an audience — "to preach so as
to show the extent of om- reading, or the subtlety of our wit,
to blazon these in the eyes of the unthinking, with the
beo-crarlv accounts of a few words which glitter, but which
convey little light and less warmth :" but regularly, week
after week, to compose discourses replete with evangelical
truth- — with sentiment clearly stated, properly arranged, suit-
ably illustrated, and wisely improved, so as to come home to
juen's business and bosoms — rccpiires an expenditure of time
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 315
and labour, of which the bulk of our hearers can form no
adequate estimate. — These remarks, not to mention the diffi-
culty of committing a discourse thus composed, to memory,
and delivering it Avith becoming dignity and interest, may
suffice to show that proper evangelical preaching is by no
means that easy attainment which some men imagine.
But our preparations for, and our discourses from the pulpit,
form, you well know, a small part only of our duty as teachers
of Christianity. Catechising though a laborious, is an import-
ant part of ministerial work. This duty, though not to be
confined to the young, has, however, a peculiar reference to
them. " Feed My lambs," is an important injunction laid by
the Great Shepherd on all His followers. The importance of
early instruction in the doctrines of the Gospel is abundantly
apparent. Let me shortly direct your attention to its diffi-
culty. To fix the mind on subjects to which it is naturally
averse, to instil religious instruction into the mind as capa-
cities enlarge, to repeat the same sentiments, and often the
same words, again and again, till they are known and re-
membered— to feed with milk those who cannot bear strong
meat — require no ordinary share of knowledge and prudence,
of patience and of tenderness.
Private visitation of the flock is the third great part of a
minister's duty. When properly managed, this must be pro-
ductive of the happiest consequences ; but I apprehend that
properly to manage it is no cask task. The minister of Jesus
ought to, and when he acts in character will, manifest a gene-
rous interest in the welfore of his people, and do everything
in his power to induce them to impart to him their joys and
their sorrows, their perplexities and their fears, that he may
be enabled suitably to counsel and comfort them.
The success of our visits depends much on the circum-
stances in which families are placed. In the day of prosperity
the heart expands with gratitude, and it is the part of the
minister to direct it to its proper object. The period of afflic-
tion is, however, best calculated for communicating religious
instruction. It is then that our visits bid fairest to be accep-
31 G THE CURISTIAX MINISTER'S REQUEST.
table and useful. But when to probe the wound, and when
to pour in the balm, is the important question. Too frequently,
ministers are sent for with no other intention than that they
may speak words of consolation, and soothe the parting spirit
Avith the hopes of religion, whatever may have been the tenor
of the former life. It is painful to a man of compassionate heart
to see a fellow-immortal trembling on the verge of eternity,
while he cannot in conscience present to him the consolations
of a Gospel, obviously neither understood nor believed. But
it is still more awful — to say peace, peace, where there is no
peace, and dismiss men to the tribunal of divine justice with
a lie in their right hand. It is a gi'eat relief to a minister to
know that in the very worst cases he may, he ought to, preach
the Gospel, and hold up to the dying sinner the all-sufficient
Savioiu' and the finished salvation.
Besides these duties, there are others, such as reconciling
ditferences, and reproving, both publicly and privately, which
are arduous ; but to prevent prolixity I shall only farther
remark here, that ministers are required to be " examples to
the flock" in every Christian grace and excellence. They
are required " in all things to show themselves patterns of
good works, in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sin-
cerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned." To the
obligations which lie on all men to do their duty, many are
superadded in the case of ministers. " Take heed," says the
apostle Paul to Timoth}^, " take heed to thyself, and to thy
doctrine ; for in doino; this thou shalt both save thvself and
them that hear thee."
A minister must not only carefully avoid every moral impro-
priety, and cultivate every moral grace — ^lie must scrupulously
abstain ft-om every appearance of evil. His character ought
not only to be unspotted, but unsuspected. It is often difficult
to fix the precise boundaries of what is right and ^^Tong, proper
and improper. It is dangerous in any man, and particularly in
a minister of religion, to venture into the debateable land. The
solitary traveller may choose the shorter path, though it may
api^ear difficult and dangerous, but it is cruel and criminal
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 317
for the leader of a band of children or blind people to conduct
them into hazards with which they may be unable to struggle,
still more so if it be all but certain that many of them will
stumble and fall. To pursue this prudent, and what many
would call precise, mode of conduct, requires a mind superior
to the fear of the world's dread laugh, when it utters those
words in which it concentrates its contempt and maligiiity —
" Saint, puritan^ precisian, hypocrite." Enough has, we
trust, been said to illustrate the difficulty of the pastoral
office from the very nature of its duties, let us now shortly
attend to the temptations which have a tendency to divert us
from the proper discharge of our office. These are of various
kinds. They take their origin either in ourselves or in others.
Ministers as well as their people, labour under the influence
of " sin that dwelleth in them." They are laid under a ne-
cessity of cUscharging the duties of their office at stated times,
without any regard to the languor or dulness of their
dispositions. In this way there is a great danger of their
acquiring a habit of thinking and speaking of salvation and
eternity without suitably correspondent emotions. That word
which, when accompanied by the Divine Spirit, is sharp and
powerful, becomes to themselves a dead letter. And they are
in danger of worshipping God externally, while their hearts
are far from Him, introducing others to the holy place, while
they themselves stand without.
That superiority of knowledge which ought to distinguish
the minister is apt to produce exalted opinions of his own
talents, and to lead him, in his, ministrations, to regard the
display of his knowledge, the acuteness of his intellect, the
accuracy of his judgment, and the delicacy of his taste, rather
than the informing of the understandings, or the affecting of
the hearts of his, people. When, in these circumstances, he
meets with popu.lar applause, it requires no common supply
of grace to teach a minister to think of himself soberly, and
not more highly than he ought to think.
In some ministers there is a natural timidity — a want of
proper confidence — an excessive sensibility, or rather morbid
318 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST.
sensitiveness — which, operated upon by indwellino- conniption,
produces obstacles of a different kind in the way of the
proper performance of their duty. Such men sink under the
jiressure of a bin-den which they feel too heavy to be borne.
The Comforter, who should relieve their souls, is far away.
They go mourning without the sun — the grasshopper becomes
a bmxlen, and they drop into an immature grave, the victims
of melancholy.
It were endless, however, to point out all the difficulties
which are thrown in the way of ministerial duty by those cor-
rupt propensities which still linger behind in the regenerated
heart. We shall conclude by adverting to the temptations
which arise from the conduct of others.
Satan, the chief of apostate spirits, the great enemy of God
and man, directs his fiery darts with peculiar force against
Christian ministers. He smites the shepherd, that he may
the more easily make a prey of the flock. In this world of
depravity and guilt he but too easily finds agents to accom-
])lish his malignant designs. Men of the world, though they
must inwardly esteem the character of a consistent minister,
yet not unfrequently attem]:»t to allure him into improper
compliance, that they may silence their reprover, and even
quote his conduct as an extenuation of their own folly or
guilt. In mingling in the scenes of social life, they sometimes
endeavour to seduce him into levities unworthy his character,
which, though they may secure him their applause, rob him
of a portion of his moral power to benefit them and others.
He may be placed in situations where. he must observe many
things worthy of reprobation, yet where it is difficult, Avithout
a large portion of prudence as Avell as fortitude, to conduct
himself aright, to discover " the time to keep silence," and
" the time to speak."
After a long course of labours and faithful services, the
minister of Christ not unfrequently perceives but few good
results of his labours — all things seem to remain as they were
in the beginning — he that was unclean is unclean still. This
melancholy consideration is a])t to produce despondency, — a
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 319
despondency which is also often greatly increased by his find-
ing that, instead of receiving the Gospel as the word of God,
his hearers are employed in endeavouring to discover faults
in his sermons or conduct.
Tliese cursory remarks on the difficulties of the pastoral
office, by one who is still a stranger to them, except from ob-
servation, but who has thought it his duty to look as closely
at them as a mere observer may, must convince every one, we
trust, that the Christian ministry is by no means that easy
office which too many, inadvertently and foolishly, imagine.
The design of these observations is obvious, and the infer-
ence we would have you to draw from them is easy. Since
our difficulties are so numerous and important, brethren, pray
for us, that our Divine Master may make His grace sufficient
for us, and perfect His strength in our weakness. " For we
are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing as of ourselves,
but our sufficiency is of God."
A second motive to enforce the duty of prayer for the minis-
ters of Christ is, " that prayer is the means appointed by God
for obtaining every blessing."
It is the confidence of the Christian minister, amid his
toils, that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom, and
knowledge, and that out of His fulness he may receive, and
grace for grace. He believes, and he rejoices in the belief,
that Christ is exalted as the head of the church, which is His
body, " to give pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto
the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."
In order to obtain these blessings, those means must be
employed which are appointed in the Holy Scriptures. Of
these means prayer is one of the most important ; and on its
performance is frequently suspended the enjoyment of the
most important blessings — " Ask and ye shall receive ; seek
and ye shall find." For the blessings promised to the children of
Israel, " I will yet be inrpiired of to do it for them, saith the
320 THE CHRISTIAN JIINISTER's REQUEST.
Lord God." Men, proud of their reason, and forgetting that
the Deity has a right to confer His favours, in the manner
which seems good to Him, liave brouglit forward a variety of
objections against tliis wise and gi-acious an-angement of Pro-
vidence. ]\f ost of these are unworthy of notice ; but there is
one wliich has often been urged with the appearance of reason,
and has been the occasion of troubhng the minds of Aveak and
tender Christians. The doctrine of the efficacy of prayer is
said to be inconsistent with the unchangeableness of the
Divinity. Our God, indeed, is " the Father of lights, with
whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of tmniino-," and
He never alters His mode of procedure on account of the
entreaties of men. But, in his decree, the means and the end
are so conjoined, that the one cannot be obtained without the
other. Besides, the unchangeableness of God is His unvaried
acting in the best manner, and secures that the performance
of a duty shall always be attended with the promised effect.
That the prayers of the faithful haA'e often been attended with
remarkable success, we have abundant evidence in the Holy
Scriptures. By the heavenly influence of prayer, the army
of Amalek was overthrown, and the sun and moon stayed
in their career to witness the defeat of the enemies of God.
The age of miracles is now gone by, but still " the effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." " If but
two of you," says oiu' Saviour to His disciples—" if but tAvo of
you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of Mj Father, avIio is in heaven ;
for where two or three are gathered together in Mv name,
there am I in the midst of them."
That important advantages result to ministers from the
prayers of their people, is plainly taught in the Holy Scrip-
tm-es. For what reason does our apostle so frequently solicit
the prayers of the churches, but that he knew they were the
means appointed by heaven for the communication of those im-
portant blessings of which he stood in need. The prayers of
the faithful loosed the fetters of the venerable Peter, burst
asunder the doors of his prison, and restored him to libert}-.
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'8 REQUEST. 321
Our apostle, when similarly situated, expresses to Philemon
his trust, that he would be " given to him, through his pray-
ers ; " and to the Philippians, his conviction that his ministry
and sufferings should turn to his salvation, " through the pray-
ers of the church and the supply of the Spirit of Christ."
As the same advantages will still flow from the same con-
duct, we beseech you, brethren, that you. " pray for us, that the
word of God may have free coui'se to be glorified."
A third motive to induce Christians to pray for their
ministers is, that the proper performance of this duty has a
direct and powerful tendency to promote their own welfare.
The Christian ministry is one of those good gifts which
were conferred by the Great Plead of the church for the
advancement of the happiness of Ilis people. Those invested
with this sacred office are not selected from the rest of man-
kind, that they may be " lords of God's heritage," but that
they may be " helpers of their faith ;" — " for the perfecting the
saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ." The happiness
of the Christian people, their edification in holiness and com-
fort, must depend, in a considerable degree, on their minis-
ter's right performance of his duties ; and this, as we formerly
observed, is to be sought for and obtained by careful prayer
to the God of all grace.
The design of God in appointing the Gospel ministry is
not frustrated, nor the reward of faithful ministers endan-
gered, by their want of success. They may seem to " labour
in vain, and spend their strength for nought, and in vain ;
yet surely their judgment is with the Lord, and their work
w^th their God." " In them that perish," as well as " in them
that are saved," they " are unto God a sweet savour of Christ."
But how foolish is the conduct, and how appropriate, but
severe the punishment, of those who, by their sinful absti-
nence from this duty of prayer for ministers, provoke God
so to withhold His blessing from Gospel ordinances, as that
to them they are ft'uitless !
Wlien, in consequence of the prayers of the faithfril, the
good hand of the Lord is with His minister, how delightful
X
322 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST.
are the consequences ! The mhiister and his people live to-
gether as heirs of the grace of life. " The word of the Lord
hath fi'ee course, and is glorified" — " The name of the Saviour
is glorified, according to the grace of our God."
Abstracted fi-om the consideration of the direct answer of
these prayers, the performance of the duty has a happy influ-
ence on the minds of the Christian people. It has been
observed, by an excellent writer, that " intercessions have an
effect on social virtue." The prayers of a minister for his
people lead to tenderness, and diligence, and condescension.
They subdue pride, impatience, and languor, in the work of
tlie ministiy. His soul is stirred by the elevating thought,
that he is " a worker together with God."^ An effect
somewhat analogous to this is produced on the minds of
Christians, by prayer for their minister. Those devotional
feehngs, which ought always to be exercised in prayer, are
such as best fit us for the reception of Divine truth ; and he
Avho has, in his closet and family, on the morning of the
Lord's Da}^, prayed, with proper dispositions of mind, for the
blessing of God on his minister, will be more inclined to hear
what God the Lord will speak by him, than to exert his cri-
tical ingenuity, in order to discover faults — a practice, though
not uncommon, fi-aught with the most dangerous consequences
to those who give themselves to it. As then you value your
own happiness, " brethren, pray for us."
A variety of other motives might have been adduced, but
these shall suffice. A few remarks on the peculiar circum-
stances of the present occasion, shall conclude the discoiu'se.
A disposition to talk of a man's self, disagreeable in any man,
is peculiarly ungraceful in the occupier of the pulpit. " Christ
Jesus, and Him crucified," ought to be the principal subject
of discourse here ; and he is ill acquainted with his duty who
rejoices not to lose himself in so glorious a theme. There are
circmnstances, hoAvever, which may not only apologise for, but
actually require a degree of egotism. In such circumstances
^ Charters,
THE CUKISTIiVN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 323
I conceive myself now to stand. A connection lias lately been
formed between this conereffation and me, intimate in its na-
ture, awfully important in its consequences with regard to both,
and which, on the one part, in all human probability, will be
loosed only by the hands of mortality. I feel myself in a new
situation ; new prospects open on my view ; new hopes and new
fears agitate my breast. I am with you in weakness, and in
fear, and in much trembling, lest I shall not find you such as I
would, and lest I shall be found of you such as ye would not.
When I consider the arduous task to which I am appointed,
the awful consequences which result from unfaithfulness, the
long and reputable course which my venerable predecessor,
who used to occupy this place, has run, my heart is ready to
sink within me, and I exclaim, " Wlio is sufficient for these
things ? " But I am reassured when I read, " My grace is
sufficient for thee." Were I to follow the impulse of my feel-
ings, I should, in the language of a prophet, say " Ah, Lord,
behold I cannot speak, for I am a child. But I trust I may,
without presumption, appropriate the address to the youthful
Jeremiah : " Say not, I am a child, for thou shalt go to all
to whom I send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou
shalt speak."
The course which your minister has this day begun may
be either a long or a short one. This is in the hand of the
wisest and best of Beings, and we are willino- to remain
ignorant of it. But let it be your earnest prayer and mine,
that it may be spent in the faithful service of our one Master,
that its termination, whenever it arrives, may neither be
inglorious nor unhappy. lie earnestly supplicates an interest
in your prayers. Send up youi* warmest addresses before the
throne of mercy, that He may make His grace sufficient for
me, and perfect His strength in my weakness; that He may
strengthen me with all might in the inner man ; that He may
enable me to do the work of an evangelist amono- you, and
make full proof of my ministry.
On the other hand, your pastor is not ignorant that you
have a right to an important place in his ]>rayers. " God forbid,
324 THE CHRISTIAN .MINISTER'S REQUEST.
that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for
you ; but I ^\all teach you," by the assistance of my Master,
" the good and the right way." In imitation of the first and
greatest minister of the Gentile chm'ch, I will bow my knees
to the Father of om- Lord Jesus Christ, " That He may grant
you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened
with might by His Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ may
dwell in yom- hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and gromid-
ed in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what
is the height and depth, and the breadth and length, and to
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge ; that ye
may be filled with all the fulness of God." Amen.
Such, at the commencement of my ministry, were my con-
victions, regarding the extent and difficulties of the pastoral
office, the responsibilities of those who occupy it, and the
importance of the prayers of those who are its objects, to the
right discharge of its duties. They have not been diminished
during its course — on the contrary, they strengthen and deepen
as I approach its close.
How imperfectly these con\'ictions have been worked out,
I am deeply sensible. In looking back, I Avonder at the kind
reception my imperfect labours have met with from my
brethren, to whom I have been called successively to minister.
And, in looking forward, I can only cast myself on the mercy
of my Divine Master, — " looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
What success has attended my labours — and it were ino-ra-
titude in me to complain of an utterly fruitless ministry — I
attribute, in subordination to my Master's blessing, in a large
measure, to the pra}'ers of my people. I trust these prayers
will not be intermitted, though their object must now be
somcAvhat altered.
" I beseech you, then, brethren, for the Lord Jesus' sake, and
for the loA^e of the Spirit, that ye striAc together Avith me, in
yoiu' prayer to God for me," that I may be faithfiil to the end ;
that I may not be left in any way to dishonour my Master, nor
THE CHEISTIAN MINISTER'S REQUEST. 325
weaken the testimony I have given to His cause ; " that I may
finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have re-
ceived of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of
God ; " that I may have, if it please God, a quiet dismis-
sion ; and, to crown all, that I may " find mercy of the Lord
in that day," and " an abmidant entrance into the everlasting
kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And for " my '^
true yokefellow," who, now for twelve years, has, to my great
comfort and your great advantage, served with me as a son in
the Gospel, join with me in supplicating a long, a happy, and
a fruitful ministry, a prosperous course, and a glorious close.
It is probable there may be some hearing me who are look-
ing forward to the sacred office. It would be strange if I did
not feel a peculiar interest in the7n. As a proof of this interest,
I would press on their most serious consideration the import-
ance of due preparation for that office, which they are aspiring
to, and I am about to lay down ; and I prefer doing this in
the words of another — the venerable Dr John Erskine ;
for while his words exactly represent my convictions and
feelings, the sacrifices he made in choosing the Christian mi-
nistry as a profession, and his remarkable diligence as a student,
combined with the singular worth and wisdom, which made
him so bright an ornament of the Established Chvu'ch of Scot-
land during the latter half of the last centuiy, give the declara-
tion and advice a weight and value, to which no expression of
the result of my experience could justly lay claim : " I have no
cause to repent my choice of a profession. But I do lament that
I entered on the sacred function ere I had spent one-fourth of
the time in reading, meditation, and devotional exercises, which
would have been necessary in any tolerable degree to qualify
me for it." — " Ye who now enjoy the golden season of youth,
be careful to improve it to better purpose. The advantages
you now have for acquiring gifts and grace may never retmni
in any future period."
It is my earnest desire that the fervent prayers of the Church
may draw down such a communication of heavenly grace on
the rising ministry, that their labours and success may exceed
326 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTERS REQtJEST.
those of any age since the apostolic, and adequately meeting
the demands of the interests of the church and the world,
ever rising as the accomplishment of the mystery of God ap-
proaches, may hasten on the millennial glor)^ It is high
honom' and true blessedness to be enabled to do anything
towards so glorious a consmnmation.
I'
INDEI.
"Able," peculiar use of the word, 275
Abstine et sustine, 84.
Adams' exposition of tlie Second Epistle
Alberti referred to, 16i.
aHSux, meaning' of tlie word, ''32
Andrea}, quoted, 233.
Apostolic testimony respeotinff the
powerful coming" of Chrisr, 175-
evidence of, 177, '
'A^irh, 40, 67.
Armstrong quoted, 117.
Asii, Dr, quoted, 198.
Assurance of heart before God, how to
obtain, 232.
Assurance of salvation, genuine, distin-
guished from counterfeit, 281
Assurance of salvation, how to obtain it
2(jo. '
Augustine quoted, 100.
Authenticity of the Second Epistle of
Feter, external evidence of, 2; inter-
Barnes, referred to and quoted, 168 1C9
Barren in the knowledge of Christ "
meaning of the phrase, 140
/3e/W«, =r.;sr<rfla;, meaning of the phrase,
Bt^ccariio,, meaning of the word, 186
Beheve Christ," meaning of thephrase,
Bengel quoted, 149.
Benson's Notes on the Second Epistle to
Peter referred to, 3; quoted, ]66.
Beza s character of 2 Pet. v 7 60
Bi,m|y, referred to, 60, 64, 77, 78 ; quoted,
B?''"'^/,'i°P°''* °f t''e term, 119, 143.
Bloomheld on the genuineness, authen-
p^'; Ji/"fV''"°'""*^' "f the Second
Epistle of Peter, 2, 3
"Boldness" necessary in a Christian
minister, 311.
Bonnet on the genuineness of the Second
Epistle of Peter, 1.
Brotherly kindness described, 108 • pro-
perties of, 112; connection with 'faith,
113; with godliness, 114
Bunyan quoted, 255.
" Called » import of, as a designation of
Christians, 3,5-38.
"Called through glory and virtue"
« ™^f "'"§■ of the phrase, 39.
Calling and election, making sure"
meaning of the phrase,53; importanc'e
ot, o4, etc.; how to be done 58, etc
Calvin quoted, 32, 176, 210, 215.
Catechising, importance and difficulty
Or, 3i5. •'
Catechism, Shorter, referred to, 35.
Charity described, 11.5; basis of, 116;
elements, llC; characteristic quali-
„ .^' ,? connection with faith, 119;
with godliness, 119.
Charters referred to, 322.
Chillingworth, quoted, 99.
3M 'sOa'"''""*'''"''''"''''"'*^'"' ^^^' •^"'y'
^'plf 303°''°'^'^'"'^ '■^1"''^^ *° ^'^ Peo-
Christian ministry, difficulties of, 313
Christians possessors of the grace of
God in a thi-ee-fold sense, 23
Coming powerful " of Christ, meaning
and references of the phrase, 174
1 Cor. 111. 18 explained, 294
Co^wper, quoted, 76, 101, 241, 242, 250,
" Dark place," meaning and reference of
the phrase, 201.
Davidson's (Dr Samuel) Introduction to
the New Testament referred to and
recommended, 3.
Decease of our Lord, meaning and re-
ference of the phrase, 181.
S;«««^ivo,, meaning and reference of the
term, 9.
Divine origin of the prophetic word, 209
Doctrine of Christ, God manifested in.
328
IXDEX.
lyx^xriia., 80.
ixXoyii, 44.
Eisner referred to, 164.
Election, double, of all Christians, 44.
" Election," meaninij;- of the term, 44.
ev ToiJTm, remarks on the use of, 237.
i'rix<i%r,yA<iot.Ti, explained, GO.
Erdiuann, quoted, 233, 240.
Erskine, Dr John, referred to, 313;
quoted, 325.
Ethics, Christian, excellence of, CO.
Exod. xxxiv. 29-35, illustrated, 295.
EloSof of our Lord, 181.
Fables, cunningly devised, no descrip-
tion of the apostolic testimony, 178.
Faith, the meaning of the word, 7.
Faith, its place in the Christian charac-
ter, G6.
Faith, Christian, how the gift of God,
18 ; what are the proofs of possessing
it, 19; the great object of, 10; the
ground of, the testimony of God, 14 ;
like that of the apostles in its object
and ground, 11, 14; and preciousness,
10; how obtained, 17.
Faith, that, characteristic of Christians,
7.
" Falling, meaning of the term, 145.
Fellowship with God, its nature, 231; its
basis, 231 ; the manner in which it is
obtained, 231 ; the means by which it
is to be maintained, 231 ; the causes
which tend to interrupt and destroy
it, 231.
Fortitude, importance of, 68, 70 ; how to
be obtained, C9.
Fortitude, importance of, 265.
Foster quoted, 109.
Glory of God, display of, the great end
of the universe, 290.
" Glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ," meaning of the jthrase, 291.
Godliness described, 95, etc.
Gospel dispensation, design of, 290.
" Grace," meaning of the term, 23.
Hearers of the Gospel, duty of, 301.
*' Holy," meaning of the word, 217.
Holv Ghost, the author of prophecy,
2i7.
Hoogeveen quoted, 232.
Hope, only ground of a sinner's, 64 ;
how this ground may become one's,
64 ; how we may be assured this
ground of hope is ours, 65, etc.
Horsley quoted, 210, 213.
Howe quoted, 148.
Intercession, mutual duty of, 304.
ifiri/Ats , meaning of the term, 16.
Jay quoted, 77.
.Tohn, First Epistle of — general charac-
ter of, 230 ; connection with the
Fourth Gospel, 231 ; general [ilan, 232.
" Know Christ," meaning of the phrase,
279.
" Knowledge," import of the term as
used by the Apostle Peter, 72.
Krummacher quoted, ISO.
Xax'><J<r', meaning of the term, 17, 18.
" Light shining in a dark place," mean-
ing of the phrase, 203.
Lillie, Dr John, quoted, 126, 149, 21.5.
" Life and godliness," import of the
phrase, 130.
Liicke referred to, 234, 237.
" Lust," meaning of the word, 135.
M'Crie quoted, 246, 267, 27.5, 282.
" Men of God," meaning of the phrase,
216.
Milton quoted, 215.
Ministers, aged, how they should feel
and act, 223.
INIiracles one ground of the apostolic
testimony, 179.
Miracles, evidence to, as well as to those
who witnessed them, 183.
Morality, Christian, superiority to secu-
lar as to force of motive, 123.
More, Henrv, referred to and charac-
terised, 60; quoted, 120.
Morus quoted, 232.
" Multiplication of grace and peace" —
meaning of the term, 30 ; needed by
tlie Christian, 30-32; how to be ob-
tained, 32.
" Mystery," remarks on the term, 306.
Nature, Divine — meaning of the phrase,
136.
Neander quoted, 236, 258.
Nisbet's Commentary on the Second
Epistle to Peter, referred to, 3.
Nosselt quoted, 232, 247.
Obscurity of some passages of Scrip-
ture, causes of, 124.
Patience described, 85 ; towards God,
85; towards man, 86.
Patience — how connected with faith,
87.
Paul, Apostle, fortitude of, 266 ; origin
of, 267.
" Peace," meaning of the term, 27 ; how
obtained, 28.
Pearson, Bishop, quoted, 192.
Per^■on of Christ, God manifested in,
291.
Peter, Second Epistle of, its genuine-
ness, authenticity, and canonical au-
thority, 2, .3; to whom addressed, 6.
INDEX.
:329
Peter's writings, character of, 196.
■ri(rTi; Iv, import of the phrase, 8.
Pott's Annotations on the Second
Epistle to Peter referred to, 3, 160.
" Power, Divine," import of the phrase,
128.
Prayer, foundation of, .303.
Prayer for ministers, reasons for, 313.
Prayer the appointed means of obtain-
in;'' blessings, 319.
Preaching described, 313.
Preciousness of faith, 16.
Predictions about the Messiah fulfilled,
190.
Predictions fulfilled one ground of the
apostolic testimony, 18.3.
" Private," force of the word, 210.
" Private interpretation," meaning of the
phrase, 210.
Promises, specimens of, 133.
"Prophecy, tlie more sure word of,"
meaning of the phrase, 186.
Prophecy, word of, our duty in refer-
ence to, 197.
Prophetic word. Divine origin of, 209.
Prophetic word, usefulness of, 201.
" Purging of sin," meaning of the
phrase, 144.
Pye Smith referred to, 9.
Resolutions of the apostle, 156; grounds
of, 172.
Rhemists, misinterpretation by, 166.
" Righteousness of God, and our Lord
Jesus Christ," meaning of the phrase,
8, 9, 10; Ihe object of the Christian
faith, 10 ; Paul's doctrine respecting,
11, 12; Peter's, 12 ; John's, 13.
Rome, Church of, claims to be the in-
terpreter of Scripture, and falsehood
of such claims, 213.
Scholefield quoted and characterised,
136.
Scott quoted, 162, 104.
Scriptures, Holy, unbecoming mode of
treating, 1.'88.
Self-examination, remarks on, 244.
Self-interpretation a character of Scrip-
ture, 212.
Semler quoted, 9, 103.
Sharpe Granville referred to, 9.
Stier quoted, 1.
" Take heed," force of the expression,
198.
Taylor, Isaac, referred to, 60.
" Temperance," meaning of the term,
79 ; foundation of Christian, 81.
described, 81, etc. ; how con-
nected with faith, 82.
Temptations to which ministers are ex-
posed, 317 ; from within, 317 ; from
without, 318.
Transfiguration, account of, 179.
" 'J'ruth present," import of the term,
160.
" Unfruitfulness in the knowledge of
Christ," meaning of the phrase, 142.
i^ro/j-ovri, meaning of the term, 87.
" Utterance," meaning of the term, 309.
" Virtue," meaning of the term, 40, 67.
Visitation, pastoral, importance and
difficulty of, 315.
Vulgate referred to, 143.
Walker, John, quoted, 253.
Warburton referred to and character-
ised, 60.
Wetstein referred to, 164.
Whately (Archbisliop) referred to, 35.
Williams, Dr W., referred to, 60.
" Will of man," meaning of the phrase,
216.
Wordsworth referred to, 9.
Work of Christ, God manifested in, 292.
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